Sunday Nights

I am writing this on Sunday afternoon here in Chicago. Since I started working full time at my job almost four years ago, Sunday nights have sometimes been a struggle for me. I actually like my job and the people I work with quite a bit, but there can still be a sense of anxiety for the stresses of the week that lay ahead. I know there are emails waiting to be responded to, meetings that need to take place, deadlines to be met, and so on.

However, there is something I have started to notice. Once Monday morning rolls along, I don't worry about this stuff. I just go to work and get it done. Once I have a cup of coffee, say hi to my coworkers, start checking email, chipping away at the work is not that big of a deal. In other words, the anticipation of work is causing me more anxiety than the work itself. As the week progresses, my nights at home are less anxious, because the week is in full swing, and its not so bad.

Coming to this realization has helped me a lot. It doesn't mean I never feel anxiety anymore on Sunday nights. But it means that when I am feeling anxious, I can acknowledge it, take a deep breath, and remember that come tomorrow morning, I won't be that anxious anymore. This is just a passing emotion. It does not actually reflect how I feel about the work that I do.

I realize this may not work for everyone who dreads Sunday nights. Some people might actually have good reasons to be unhappy about their work: an unfair boss, dislikable coworkers,  an unrealistic workload, etc. But for me, it has helped me to remember that sometimes my anxiety isn't really warranted. Very rarely does going to work actually make me feel as anxious as I do on Sunday nights.