Happiful Hack
Sunday night How to handle
work anxiety Do you start to get that feeling in the pit of your stomach when the weekend draws to a close, a growing sense of dread at the thought of the office on Monday? Has your weekend been ruined by workplace worries? Don’t despair, you can beat the back-to-work blues Writing | Ben Edwards Illustrating | Rosan Magar
A
t the end of a relaxing weekend spent with family and friends, thoughts suddenly turn to the looming Monday morning. At around 4pm, the Sunday blues kick in, and a cloud of dread creeps over so many of us. It is not uncommon to feel daunted, as each new week brings a unique set of challenges. A small amount of sadness is normal, in fact, a poll from monster.com found that 62% of workers regularly experience these types of feelings. After two days of freedom, you’re back behind the desk come the morning, so of course you’ll be a little bit displeased. However, a problem develops when these feelings become more than niggling thoughts. An increasing number of people are experiencing severe anxiety each week, which can be both overwhelming and difficult to control. Their weekends are ruined
52 • happiful • October 2018
because Sunday is spent wrapped in negative feelings, already putting a dampener on the week ahead. This type of intense emotion on a regular basis can have a significant impact, resulting in a range of symptoms such as a lack of sleep or depression. There are a multitude of reasons why you may feel anxious about returning to work on Monday – it could be a dislike of your position, conflict with a colleague, or general stress stemming from pressure to perform. Jobs are becoming more and more demanding, with tighter deadlines and greater responsibility, so this problem is not going away. However, as a self-confidence expert and relationship coach, I know there are always steps you can take to alleviate stress and get your relaxed Sundays back. Positive Monday mornings are possible. Here are five tips you can follow to make this happen:
5
POSITIVE STEPS
1 Consider a change
If you hate your job, and find it is causing you anxiety, then consider moving on. As clichéd as it may sound, doing something you love is very important for your happiness. It has been found that 64% of people would rather take a poorly paid job they love, than one which pays more, but does not make them happy. Of course, there are financial implications to consider, and making sure you can still make ends meet in a job you’re more passionate about. But being in a job you like will help keep you motivated and looking forward to going into work on Mondays.
