Sunday Scaries are on the Rise Among Working Professionals – Here’s How to Soothe Them

Sunday Scaries — feelings of dread and anxiety before starting a new work week — aren’t a new phenomenon, but they are looking a little different these days given economic uncertainty. Not only are Sunday Scaries on the rise (nearly 75% of working Americans now say they’re experiencing them), but these scaries are no longer just prevalent on Sundays. They’re beginning to seep into every day of the week with nearly 30% of people telling Headspace that they are having a hard time sleeping four nights a week out of fear of losing their jobs.

In fact, this conversation is happening all over LinkedIn. George B . said that even with “a great job and incredible managers,” he experiences Sunday Scaries and thinks that “the spread of ‘mid-week scaries’ may be because we're so busy, that evenings become precious, and we hate to lose that prize.”

To help professionals navigate this difficult time, we at LinkedIn teamed up with Headspace to offer some ways that you can work through these challenges.

Drown out the noise: understand what’s happening at work.

It’s easy to get distracted by headlines around economic uncertainty, but take a moment to understand your situation, because everyone's circumstances are different. There are bright spots in the job market with certain industries like Healthcare, Oil and Gas, and Accommodations still looking for talent.??

Career Companion Call-Out: Talk to your manager to get an accurate sense of how your team and company is performing. Follow leaders and other companies in your industry on LinkedIn and follow industry press to tune into what’s being said about the landscape as a whole.?

Make time for mindfulness and meditation.

There is power in the pause. Practicing mindfulness and meditation can actually decrease feelings of anxiety and improve your mental health, says Dr. Dana Udall , clinical psychologist and chief clinical officer of Headspace Health. Udall says focus on the present moment and train your mind to not jump too far into the future with stress and anxiety.

Career Companion Call-Out: Making time for mindfulness at work might not be as challenging as you’d think. Consider taking strolling meetings, getting a change of scenery, strategically placing holds on your calendar for you to take lunch or a break, and even finding background music that can help you feel more zen while powering through your to-dos. If you don’t know where to start, you can check out The Headspace Guide to Everyday Stress and The Headspace Guide to Mindful Workdays on LinkedIn Learning (free now until 4/15/2023).?

Plan ahead and prepare for what you can.?

Studies show that “proactive coping,” or anticipating and planning for stress in advance, can be highly effective. While nobody has a crystal ball to predict what will happen in the economy, try to identify exactly what you’re most worried about so you can create a plan to help you work through it. Time management is something I often hear about as a stressor from both my team and from professionals on LinkedIn.?

Career Companion Call-Out: Dedicate time each morning to review your calendar and evaluate your workload. Determine what needs to get done, what’s coming down the pipeline, and how you can prioritize — whether that means bowing out of meetings that don’t require your input or adjusting deadlines as needed.

If an uptick in Sunday Scaries is beginning to bring you down, remember that you aren’t alone. Making a few small changes to how you manage your daily workload can make a major difference. For more information, look here for some surefire tips.?