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Can you believe that supposedly people from all professions can experience the Sunday Scaries?
The "Sunday Scaries" is a colloquial term used to describe the feeling of anxiety or dread that some people experience on Sunday evening, as the weekend comes to an end and the work or school week begins. This feeling can be caused by a variety of factors, including the stress of upcoming responsibilities, the end of leisure time, or the impending return to a less enjoyable or comfortable environment.
Now that's for the normal human. For teachers, I'd say it runs a bit deeper than that. And this is how I would define it: stressing the bull shit we are going to endure this upcoming week.
For me the Sunday Scaries are caused by:
Preparing to spend all of my productive waking hours at school
Gearing up for lesson planning, prepping, and adjusting those plans again and again during the week
The thought of dealing with that one student (or their parent). I know we all have that one kid
The impending doom of the overwhelming workload and responsibilities that are waiting for my arrival Monday morning
Knowing I am about to be disconnected from my kids and husband-- this isn't an always, but when I get new classes and am running on go go go mode-- I struggle transitioning back to mom-mode after school hours
While I know to combat the Sunday Scaries, today I need to focus, rest, and relax-- I'm sitting here doing anything but that.
I've forgotten to take my ADHD medication for the past three days, I'm currently sipping on an iced triple shot of espresso with sweet cream cold foam, I stayed up until after midnight last night, and I had a live call today.
So yes, I'm trying to keep it one hunnid right now and share that while it may look like I have it all together-- I am struggling too.
So here I am, combatting my Sunday Scaries by... working? Sounds counterproductive right?
I typically free relaxed after expending some creativity. I can't seem to create on Canva right now, but since my mind is running a mile per minute, I knew I could push out a blog post that helps me bleed thoughts from my brain, to this blank canva, letting me feel a sense of completeness upon its completion.
Then I can relax... I hope.
Here's ways that I try to combat the Sunday Scaries.
Creation: I love getting on Canva and letting my thoughts transform into a resource. I enjoy updating my website or spilling my thoughts into a blog post. Using my creative energy helps me decompress and keep my mind off the worries of the upcoming school week.
Enjoyment: If you aren't a creative (or you're feeling braindead) then spend some time partaking in a task you truly enjoy. You don't have to go hiking or run a marathon, but maybe something small-- journaling, stretching, meditating, reading, go on a walk, listen to a podcast or audiobook, watch a documentary. I try to not scroll infinitely on TikTok because that just sucks away my day in a blur and I need to be present to enjoy the last minutes of freedom for the weekend.
Mentally plan for the week: Take some time on Sunday to plan out your week in advance. This can help you feel more organized and in control, reducing feelings of anxiety. Mentally planning is the most I have to offer because I don't like working outside of contract hours. If you feel better writing it down, maybe just a little something like notes in your planner or on a stick note to avoid pulling out the laptop and getting lost on the millions of tabs we like to have open!
Reflect on your successes: Spend some time thinking of your successes and positive moments from the previous week. Even if we get caught up thinking we aren't doing enough at school or teaching the kids enough-- you are. Think of the wins you've had over the past few weeks. This can help shift your mindset from dreading the upcoming week to looking forward to it.
Get organized: Make sure your work bag is packed and your lunch is ready to go so you don't starve through lunch like I do!
Set boundaries: Set clear boundaries between work and personal time. Make sure to disconnect from work-related tasks and emails on Sundays to fully enjoy your time off. I always kill my vibe by opening my email on the weekend to find a bunch of work stress in my inbox. It can wait until Monday morning!
Prioritize self-compassion: Be kind to yourself and remember that it is normal to feel a little anxious before the start of a new week. It doesn't make you a bad teacher. It doesn't mean you're weak. It doesn't mean you're being negative.
Take a break: If you're feeling particularly stressed, it's okay to take a break and come back to it later. De-stressing shouldn't feel stressful!
Make time for fun: Plan something fun or exciting for Sunday evening or Monday morning to look forward to-- even if that's just trying a new drink at Starbucks or grabbing a Chick-Fila-A biscuit for breakfast.
Sleep: Make sure you get enough sleep on Sunday night, a good night's sleep can help you start the new week feeling refreshed and energized. Ain't no way you want to start the week off of less that 8 hours of sleep! When I do that, my whole week is a wash. I am taking 2 melatonin tonight to make sure I can catch some zzzzzs.
All in all, head into the week feeling mentally prepared to deal with the BS. We know it's going to present itself, so we must be ready to brush off the bull, and shake off the shit.
And while we know a shit storm may await us, I know you'll successfully shake off the scaries in the morning and put that teacher smile on as soon as the students walk in.
Hell, and if all else fails, call out and let a sub (if they can find one) fill in for the day!
You got this, we always do.
Hugs, love, and lots of kisses.
XoXo
Cheers,
Ty Tiger | Kinda Sorta Teacher