How to have a happy productive week!

Did you experience the 'Sunday Scaries' this week?

How to Adopt a Positive Mindset for a Happy and Productive Week

Picture this: you’re living your best life all weekend, then suddenly the ‘Sunday Scaries’ kick in.

It’s the anxiety that some feel on a Sunday when they think about the upcoming work week. For some it can even cause physical symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, stomach upset, muscle tension and headaches. Not a good way to spend the remaining few hours of your weekend!

Feelings of anxiety are normal in stressful situations, however this intense worry about work compounding week-on-week is the reality for many. In fact, two thirds of Britons suffer with anxiety before the return to work.

The ‘Sunday Scaries’ can be caused by a number of things, such as not being able to disconnect from work, having a bad work environment, a poor manager, having too much to do, having a lack of down-time and experiencing a loss of control.

If we are anxious, we are in fight or flight mode, meaning we are literally the rabbit in the headlights. Our neurology runs on survival mode, so our motivation and productivity go out of the window. When a person feels supported, trusted and they feel they can be honest about where they are, initiative, innovative thinking and creativity flow, massively improving productivity and motivation.

It’s important we don’t accept Sunday Scaries as the norm, but it’s not always possible to quickly change job if you think that might be the issue nor is that going to solve the problem if there are other factors at play.

To start to change the way you feel about the new week ahead, here are some ways you minimise the Sunday Scaries and cultivate a positive mindset to have a happy and productive week.

Determine the cause of your ‘Sunday Scaries’

Being able to identify the cause of your ‘Sunday Scaries’ is the first step to managing your negative feelings.

For example, it could be that your weekly meeting with your manager is first thing on a Monday. You could ease the pressure by prepping for your meeting on a Friday. You could speak with your manager to adjust the time or more broadly about what is causing how you feel to make changes.

Make Sundays more exciting

By making Sundays a day full of fun things that you love to do, your mind is more likely to be preoccupied with less time to think and worry about the week ahead. By running all your errands and completing your household chores on a Saturday morning, Sunday is dedicated to doing exactly what makes you happy. Whether it be having a day full of relaxation, going for a long walk in the countryside, or socialising with friends and family, the choice is yours.

Plan something fun on Monday

This is something that is easy to implement straight away. It could be as simple as going out to buy some lunch on your break or meeting a friend after work. Alternatively, you could choose Monday night to have a takeaway and watch your favourite show on catch-up. Whatever you enjoy doing, make Monday the day you do it, as it will give you something to look forward to, leaving you with feelings of excitement, instead of dread.

Create a positive mindset

For ultimate workplace wellbeing, it is vital to adopt a positive mindset. Being able to approach stressful and unpleasant situations in a positive way, will dramatically change your overall wellness.

Thinking positively can provide many health benefits, such as, increasing a person’s life span, lowering levels of pain and distress, lowering depression, and reducing the risk of disease and illness.

The process of turning negative thinking to positive thinking is simple, but like with any new habit, it will take some time. Surround yourself with positive people to improve your mindset. Of course this will not solve all your problems or prevent them from happening, but you’ll be better equipped to deal with the feelings of dread a Sunday can bring.

Stop negative self-talk

The way you speak to yourself matters. There is plenty of research to show that our physical and mental health is impacted massively by the way we speak to ourselves. Your inner dialogue could be limiting your ability to reach your full potential, as negative self-talk lowers your self-esteem, increases stress, decreases motivation, and feeds depression and anxiety. So be really mindful of how you speak to yourself and remind yourself that your thoughts are not facts. Question whether the negative thought you have about yourself and your ability to cope with pressure is true. Once we put our thoughts into perspective, feelings of anxiety are likely to subside.

Re-arrange your schedule

If you are able to tweak your schedule, then this could be highly beneficial in reducing the Sunday dread. Where possible, avoid booking in big meetings and deadlines for a Monday that could cause weekend stress. Instead, think about completing the tasks that you enjoy the most on a Monday, as you’ll then be starting the week with a can-do attitude.

Meditate

Mindfulness practices such as meditation, really help us be more present, by focusing our mind and thoughts. Meditating regularly can help us to build resilience and awareness, enabling us to choose to acknowledge any negative thoughts we have, in a calm, collected and compassionate way. In other words, it allows us to see what our mind is saying but enables us to choose to distance ourselves from it. Spending some time meditating on a Sunday can really help you to feel more grounded and in control of your emotions.

Final words

There are many things that can be tried to alleviate the ‘Sunday Scaries’. If, however, none of the above relieves your overwhelming feelings of worry and unease, then it could be the time to re-evaluate your current career and ask yourself some tough questions.

If there is something you can pinpoint specifically, do everything in your power to address the issue head-on. It might not be as straightforward as getting a new job; it might be a career change or something else in your life impacting your professional life that requires attention. Always keep focused on the things that are in your control, then take action to implement positive change.

#postivevibes #postivemindset #nlp #nlpcoach #yourlifeliveit