Is this level of anxiety normal

[wossgoinon]

i dread Sunday evenings (and bank holiday Mondays) just knowing that I have to go back to work.

Once there I am fine! How can I reframe this feeling and be more positive

I have no advice, but following, once I'm there its not so bad, its more the thought of getting up, the rush to get dc to school. I suppose the more organised you are the night before the better. Also maybe do something nice on the Sunday evening, watch a film, go for a walk, read a book. Something to try and distract you from work.

Maybe a good way to reframe it is to focus on why you're working and for a good percentage of us it's pay, holiday, pension etc. I always think about how it gets me that step closer to paying off the mortgage, holiday, buying Christmas and birthday presents and all those little things I wouldn't be able to afford if I didn't work. It works for me and I am just the same quite a few evenings a week but especially a Sunday evening. Pick out the positive aspects of the job such as the people, location, training opportunities, the canteen and so on. HTH a little bit 😊

The Sunday dreads are pretty common, I think it's a transitional thing as much as anything if you don't mind your job once you are there. I think having a Sunday evening routine helps keep your mind off it a bit, and also don't angst too much about planning the work week before you get there, just focus on what you need to do to get yourself there. I know I feel much worse if we've had a busy/out of routine Sunday and then we crash through the door Sunday evening with all the housework/preparation for the week still to do and a whole week at work looming ahead, that's when the existential angst and stomach-churning anxiety starts up even if objectively speaking it's all perfectly manageable.

So I clearly don't have all the answers because avoiding ever doing anything on Sunday isn't the answer, but I know I do feel better if I've got the housework and DC under control, had a nice healthy home cooked meal on a Sunday, a bath and washed my hair, prepared or planned my lunches for the week, my clothes for the next day are laundered and laid out, bags are ready by the door and I can spend a chilled hour or so watching TV or reading before a relatively early night (although not too early as I can struggle to sleep and lie awake worrying). Sunday evenings are also not the time to call my mother or certain of my friends as much as I love them, I know they'll set me off with their own drama/anxiety so I save that for the next day. I have to say also that I really love working from home on a Monday, although it's probably not my most productive day of the week it does massively help me ease myself back into work and not having to get up at the crack of dawn to commute in helps hugely also...

Thank you all. I know I bring it on myself. I drink too much, kids grown up and I just don’t feel like doing anything. I used to be so active but now it’s a struggle to put the dishwasher on

Are you using the drink to deal with the anxiety? Definitely worth considering going to the dr's to see about some anti d's to medicate with rather than alcohol if so.