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Original poster

How do you not let worries about work on Monday spoil your Sunday?

30 replies

C1239 · 26/02/2023 08:01

Ive got an important work meeting tomorrow and I’m already feeling nervous today.. how do you not let work worries ruin your Sunday?

OP posts:
Whattheladybird · 26/02/2023 08:02

Honestly… I changed jobs.

but when I was in that space I did stuff that was hardy physically or very funny so my emotions were elsewhere.

Binfluencer · 26/02/2023 08:04

@Whattheladybird the said! I also changed jobs. Before that, yoga and exercise

DrMarciaFieldstone · 26/02/2023 08:04

Yes, change jobs. Literally, life-changing for me.

Starseeed · 26/02/2023 08:05

Why are you feeling nervous?
what’s the worst that will happen?
If the worst happens, what will you do next?
There’s relief in realising that with most things in life you could come up with a plan and you’d be okay in the end.

Also mindfulness meditation, practising bringing your mind back to the present moment. Observe the thoughts and feelings, bring your mind back. Etc etc etc. practice helps. It’s in the moment that you’ve noticed your mind wandering and being it back to the present that you build that neural pathway that brings peace.

namchangeanxious · 26/02/2023 08:08

I'm surprised that you're being told to change jobs if it's just nerves for the one day before. For me it's more than one day, although I do know I need to change jobs.

echt · 26/02/2023 08:08

I'm retired from teaching now, but 40+ years made it easier to put this on one side. An important meeting meant prep on Friday. I wake early by nature and for important stuff would look at it at 5.00.a.m.

Dentistlakes · 26/02/2023 08:12

Exercise, a lot of exercise. Also a lot of prep and risk mitigation the previous week. If it’s really important I’ll do some extra prep on the Sunday to put my mind at rest.

Sarah180818 · 26/02/2023 08:38

We were finding this so we always try and do something on a Sunday especially getting away from where we live like going to a different city for the day. I find getting away makes it easier to switch off from thinking about work the following week.

user1471505356 · 26/02/2023 08:42

I would treat Sunday evening like a Saturday and have an extra glass of wine, may not be helpful but you should feel better.

EdithWeston · 26/02/2023 08:48

Whenever you catch yourself thinking about work, acknowledge the thought and then tell yourself that it's not today's issue and consciously turn your thoughts to something else.

Don't worry if you find your mind wanders back to it, it's what minds do! Just note the thought and choose to think about something else.

That sort of redirection gets easier with practice, and in the longer run you might find a mindfulness course helps

ThatFlightyTemptressAdventure · 26/02/2023 08:51

I am in a similar situation as I need to have a difficult conversation at work tomorrow. I took some time to think what I will say and am now just distracting myself as much as possible.

Basically when I find myself thinking about it I immediately try to shift my focus to something else. I have a mantra that helps “apart from my thoughts am I OK?”

I’m not sure any of that helps. Good luck for tomorrow, you’ve got this.

GaspingGekko · 26/02/2023 08:53

If this is just a one off because of a big meeting I wouldn't worry too much. Just prepare as much as possible, have a plan of what is going to happen with your morning on Monday, then try to be busy.

Newgirls · 26/02/2023 08:57

Write it down on paper. Then go out for a long walk - it’s a beautiful day here hope it is there too

OhBollocks23 · 26/02/2023 09:01

I find that being totally prepared for everything Monday-related helps, even if it's a specific event worrying me. So knowing what I'm going to wear, getting uniforms and lunches prepped, house a bit tidy, all by mid-afternoon, makes me calmer overall. For a specific event, having a bit of a think about possible outcomes/ways to deal, but then that's it. Corny, but try to think that worrying won't change tomorrow, but will spoil today (much, much easier said than done though)

Like a PP said, I also treat Sunday evening very much as part of the weekend and have a glass of wine and watch something good on telly.

foghead · 26/02/2023 09:15

Go out for a walk and think about stuff. It does really make a difference and make you think about things in a different way.

Wonderwoman333 · 26/02/2023 09:24

I got a different job and no longer feel like that

Knitterofcrap · 26/02/2023 09:30

It’s not clear from your thread title and OP whether it’s the big meeting you are dreading, or Mondays back at work in general.

If the former, spend 15 minutes sketching out a plan of how you intend to deal with it.

If the latter, it’s time for a new job.

NeedWineNow · 26/02/2023 09:35

One of my bosses was so demanding it was not unusual to get a number of texts on a Sunday telling me that they had sent emails all of which needed to be dealt with first on the Monday morning to the exclusion of anything else I had, queries about what time I would be logging on at home or arriving in the office because of said emails etc. My heart sank when I saw their name appear on my phone and I started to feel increasingly worried and sick. It was awful.

thankfully I was able to retire.

TheClitterati · 26/02/2023 09:37

Live more in the moment. If you are focused on the here and now, tomorrow isn't such an issue.

Augend23 · 26/02/2023 09:47

When I had always-sunday-dread, I got a new job. Now I just have occasional Sunday dread, and that's just par for the course. Either do some proper prep (if you think you haven't prepped enough), go and do something physical and/or in nature, or read a good book/watch a new series.

namchangeanxious · 26/02/2023 09:50

People saying 'get a new job' like it's that easy 😞

GotABeatForYouMama · 26/02/2023 10:23

My dad once told me "whatever happens tomorrow will happen whether you stress about it today or not, so why ruin today worrying about tomorrow." The meeting will happen and nothing you do now will change that so just get on with enjoying today.

Knitterofcrap · 26/02/2023 10:25

I guess that’s maybe a regional thing but where I live (SE) there are so many vacancies and not enough people to fill them. The news seems to describe a similar situation across the country.

Definitely a good time to be switching jobs if unhappy. Totally appreciate some might live in pockets where there aren’t many vacancies though.

Twinedpeaks · 26/02/2023 10:26

namchangeanxious · 26/02/2023 09:50

People saying 'get a new job' like it's that easy 😞

What's holding you back?

BellaTheDarkOverlord · 26/02/2023 10:29

I've got to the stage now where I think if I can't change or won't change what will happen tomorrow why waste today worrying about it. For you situation, if you can't stop the meeting or you won't quit or call in sick before it, worrying is pointless.

I can't stop myself giving birth in summer. It's going to happen one way or another. I won't worry about pain as I know it's inevitable.

Hope it goes well for you though.