You’ve just wrapped up a fun and fulfilling weekend and you’re feeling great. Then suddenly it hits you: Tomorrow is Monday—the start of a new workweek. It’s not uncommon to experience sadness or anxiety about this. Some call it the “Sunday Scaries,” the “Sunday Blues,” or the “Monday Blues.”
But you don’t have to dread the oncoming workweek. You can take steps to feel good about it. Often, all it takes is a slight shift in your mindset and a bit of planning. Here are 6 steps to help transform the first day of the week from awful to awesome:
1. Tie the first day of the week to something you like. The night before the week begins, think about what you’re looking forward to in the coming week. You might look forward to trying a new restaurant for lunch, catching up with a friend at work, or starting a great new book during a break. Or you might look forward to checking your progress on a work project or on a personal goal. If you can’t fit some fun into the workday, plan something special for after work.
2. Sleep. Getting enough sleep during the workweek is vital for staying focused and emotionally balanced. It improves memory, decision-making, and energy levels, while also cutting back on stress and the risk of burnout. In fact, poor sleep has been linked to reduced task performance and impaired decision-making. So, set up a bedtime routine. Turn off all screens an hour before sleep. Sleep in a cool, darkened room. If a bath sounds relaxing, try taking one to unwind before bed.
3. Connect with others. Spend time each weekday with people you enjoy. If you’re working from an office, reach out to a coworker. Invite them to lunch or for a walk during a break. These small interactions help connect and strengthen the relationship and give some zing to your workday.
If you’re working remotely, set up a virtual coffee break or send a thoughtful message to a colleague. When the workday ends, shift your focus to personal connections—whether it’s sharing a meal with your spouse, playing with your pet, calling a friend, or spending time with family. These interactions help reduce stress, combat loneliness, and create a sense of belonging that supports overall well-being.
4. Find your humor. Even when working remotely, laughter is a great way to lift your spirits and stay connected. Start your day by sharing a light moment with a colleague over chat or during a virtual meeting. Humor can ease tension, build rapport, and make remote work feel less isolating. After work, unwind with a funny movie, a comedy podcast, or a favorite sitcom. Laughter releases feel-good chemicals that help reduce stress and boost your mood—perfect for shaking off the Monday blues and setting a positive tone for the week.
5. Eat healthy—even when the weekend throws you off track. It’s easy to slip into less-than-ideal habits when you’re unwinding from a stressful week—indulging in junk food, skipping meals, or drinking more than usual. But returning to a balanced, consistent eating routine during the workweek can make a big difference in how you feel.
Stick to whole foods—like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains—to help stabilize your energy levels and support a more positive mental outlook. Research shows that diets rich in these foods, such as the Mediterranean diet , are linked to reduced symptoms of depression and improved emotional well-being. Eating well isn’t about perfection—it’s about giving your body and mind the fuel they need to thrive.
6. Practice gratitude. Think about all the things you are grateful for in your life. Your job, your home, your family and friends, your pets, and your health are good examples. Remember to appreciate the small things, too. Dare to let a warm shower, a beautiful sunrise, or a new podcast make your day.
When those Sunday Scaries start to creep up, take steps to keep those feelings of anxiety and sadness at bay. You’ve got a plan, a foolproof recipe for addressing the issue. Put it into practice and see if you can’t start to like, or at least not dread, Mondays.
It may also help to, when possible, lighten your load on the first day of the workweek. Leave some space in your schedule to decompress and acclimate to the work life around you. It’s a great way to ease into the week and kick those Sunday Scaries to the curb.
The information in this and other Active&Fit® blog articles is not intended to take the place of regular medical care or advice. Please check with your doctor before using this information or beginning any fitness or self-care program. Images used for this article do not depict any members of the Active&Fit Direct program.
References
American Society for Nutrition. (2023, April 18). How to boost mental health through better nutrition. https://nutrition.org/how-to-boost-mental-health-through-better-nutrition/
Baker, S. (2017, February 13). The Monday workday blues: Stress, too much weekend fun or something more? KERANews. https://www.keranews.org/health-science-tech/2017-02-13/the-monday-workday-blues-stress-too-much-weekend-fun-or-something-more
Graham, B. (2022, September 1). One-third of us lose sleep to the ‘Sunday Scaries.’ Here’s how to get it back. Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/one-third-of-adults-lose-sleep-to-sunday-scaries
Pilcher, J. J., & Morris, D. M. (2020). Sleep and organizational behavior: Implications for workplace productivity and safety. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 45. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00045
Schragin, A. (2025). How nurse practitioners can combat the Sunday Scaries. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 21(2), 1. https://www.npjournal.org/article/S1555-4155(25)00004-2/pdf
Smith, M., & Segal, J. (2025, January 16). Cultivating happiness. HelpGuide.org. https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/wellbeing/cultivating-happiness
Wahl, D. R., Villinger, K., König, L. M., Ziesemer, K., Schupp, H. T., & Renner, B. (2017). Healthy food choices are happy food choices: Evidence from a real life sample using smartphone based assessments. Scientific Reports, 7, Article 17069. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-17262-9
This article was written by Kimberley Reynolds, edited by Keleigh Somes, and clinically reviewed by Elizabeth Thompson, MPH, RDN, on August 26, 2025.