If you have off from work on weekends, you already know that it stops feeling like you do by Sunday. Come Sunday, you have to remember not to make plans that would keep you out late because you need to be up early for work. And that causes many to feel unable to truly enjoy their Sundays off.

You might assume that there is no way to get rid of this feeling other than to find a job where you get more downtime.

But there are solutions that don’t require such a drastic move. Courtesy of a post from Career Contessa, here are some of the best methods for putting your mind at ease on Sunday so you can enjoy your free time.

Plan Fun for the Mid-Week

Just because it is a workday doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything you enjoy afterward. Try fitting in some of your smaller hobbies before bed. Maybe an evening dance class, or relaxing with a craft project at home. You can still find time for what you enjoy during the workweek.

Stay Off Social Media

Scrolling through social media is what we usually do when we are bored. You know you have limited free time on the weekend, so why waste it staring at a screen? Forget about what others are doing and use the weekend to prioritize making fun moments for yourself.

Use Your Friday Night

Even though Friday is a workday, it is also the only part of your weekend besides Saturday where you can stay out late without worrying about being up early. While it’s tempting to just go home and crash on the couch to recharge for Saturday, maybe try fitting in some of your fun on a Friday night for a change.

Meditate

While life never stops, it is not healthy to always dwell on accomplishing things. You need to relax, not just physically, but mentally. Take some time to just sit and clear your thoughts of all the noise.

Exercise

Doing something strenuous on your time off might not sound appealing, but work keeps us far too sedentary nowadays. Getting your body moving not only improves your mood but can make you feel physically better by getting some much-needed exercise.

Take a Break from Alcohol

One or two social drinks are fine, but if you are indulging to the point of leaving yourself sick the next day, you are shortchanging your weekend. Don’t waste Sunday by turning it into a day of recovery from Saturday’s fun.

Plan Your Sunday in Advance

It can be a relief not to be stuck on a schedule for the weekend, but that can also leave you aimless. To make sure you are doing something you will enjoy, try planning out some activities ahead of time to know what you will have time for.

Stick to Your Sleep Schedule

The worst feeling is not getting enough sleep as you get up on Monday. You can avoid that if you stick to your regular sleep schedule, which will also give you more hours to enjoy on the weekend. Much of Sunday’s dread is knowing you will be sleep deprived come Monday.

Practice Gratitude

You will only overwhelm yourself if you constantly fixate on everything you want to get done. Take a moment to appreciate how much you have already done so you don’t feel guilt whenever you aren’t being productive.

Get Therapy

Hopefully, it is not the case, but if you are chronically unhappy it could be more than just Sundays bothering you. If you are stressed all the time something deeper is going on than just feeling bummed that your free time is going on hold for a few days. Consider looking into help for coping with any bigger issues.

If none of these methods help, then it may indeed be your job that needs to change. But these are a good starting point to see if you can help reclaim your enjoyment of Sunday.

For the full list of all 26 ways you can stop feeling anxious on Sundays, read the Career Contessa post here.

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The University offers over 200 accredited and career-relevant degree and certificate programs in flexible online and hybrid formats designed to accommodate adults of all ages who work full- or part-time or juggle demanding career, family, and personal schedules.

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