Sunday evenings can be a strange time of the week. As the weekend fades away all too quickly, and Monday morning looms into focus, many of us can start to experience something that's been named the 'Sunday scaries'. I have the results of a 2022 study carried out by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities
The study has concluded that nearly one in seven Brits experience anxiety about returning to work, and a further 53% of people feel anxious about working in person, compared to just 6% who feel the same about working from home.
I've been pretty lucky (I thinK!) in that I've managed to continue going into work through the last four and a half years, including lockdown, when I used to carry a letter on my passenger seat confirming my job fell into a category which meant I was still permitted to travel to work. Strange times, and ones I hope we never return to.
Whatever your working arrangements, one thing's for sure...Sunday evening is stressful for many people. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued some guidelines to managers on supporting staff who are struggling, and hope this will open up some honest conversations about mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.
The recent tit-for-tat row about politicians' working hours brought the issue back into the limelight, and as someone who has often been guilty of taking on too much work, I firmly believe in the importance of a good work-life balance. I don't always achieve it perfectly, but it's something I'm definitely aware of. It's particularly tricky when you do a job you love, as it doesn't often feel like work!
Top causes of Sunday anxiety have been cited as bulging E-mail inboxes, work stress, looming to-do lists, and lack of sleep. The peak of this 'anticipatory anxiety' is said to be just after 5pm. Perhaps we need to bring back Bullseye, as I always found a spelling round and some bad jokes from Jim Bowen, not to mention decidedly dodgy prizes, quite cathartic on a Sunday night before school.
Different age groups tackle the Sunday Scaries in various ways, with 18 to 24s scrolling on social media, whilst 25 to 32s binge TV and 33 to 40s turn to comfort eating. Tips to tackle the blues include:
Do your worst chore first (I'm actually extremely skilled at finding anything to do apart from my worst task!)
Be strict with your relaxing (make it a priority...get your onesie on and chill)
Try mindfulness or meditation
Work on a project (maybe gardening or DIY, or even a crossword)
Get physical and do some exercise (I always feel better after a walk, without fail)
Make a to-do list to provide focus the next morning
Plan a treat (they are not just for kids!)
I vote for making Monday morning meetings illegal, and notice a lot of E-mail signatures now include reassurance that they are sent at a time that's convenient for the sender, but that you shouldn't feel obliged to reply immediately. There are laws against E-mailing at odd hours in some countries, but I can see that being quite difficult to enforce. I did enjoy my week without any smartphone notifications at the end of April, as chronicled in a previous column. A lot of my friends thought I'd lost the plot, but it was great not to be constantly interrupted by pings. I haven't completed a book since I came back from Fuerteventura, whereas I read two by the pool without the constant distraction of my device.
I find the cinema is often a good source of escape from the reality of Monday morning (this may not be a surprise if you've read this column for a while, and I thank you for doing so!). But I do feel fortunate to love presenting my Breakfast Show on Tameside Radio, so if you've not given us a try for a while, let me make your Monday a bit more bearable with some great songs and a bit of chat in between. And if you're a Sunday Scaries suffererer, let me know how you deal with them.
I think it's key for employers to provide mental health support and come up with ways to make staff feel valued. Radio can be a bit of a strange job, as I spend a lot of my time in a padded room talking to myself, but it's the ultimate one-to-one medium, and I hope might also provide a useful distraction from whatever is causing you stress.
Alex B Cann column: Should we have the right to switch off?
