How to Stop Sunday Night Anxiety: A Leader's Guide to Ending the Weekend Dread

linnearader
Dec 17, 2025
7 min read

That Sunday evening pit in your stomach about Monday? You're not alone. Here's the 3-step system that helped me eliminate Sunday night work anxiety for good.

It's 7 PM on Sunday. You should be relaxing, maybe watching a movie or reading a book. Instead, you're mentally cataloging everything waiting for you Monday morning.

The emails you need to send. The meeting you're not prepared for. The project that's behind. The conversation you're dreading.

Your stomach is in knots. Your jaw is clenched. The weekend is technically still here, but mentally, you're already at work.

I know this feeling intimately. For years, Sunday evenings were stolen from me by Monday morning anxiety. And I finally figured out how to get them back.

Why Leaders Experience Sunday Night Anxiety

Leader experiencing Sunday night anxiety about Monday work

Sunday night anxiety isn't about being weak or uncommitted. It's actually a sign that something in your work system needs attention.

Sunday night anxiety started slowly for me. As I took on more responsibility at work, the anxiety grew. There was a time when there were substantial changes in management where it got really bad.

There was a lot of uncertainty at the time. Everything was being questioned. There was uncertainty in the stability of what was going on. That's when Sunday night anxiety went from occasional to constant.

I've mostly conquered the Sunday night dread, but it creeps back when I'm stressed. You know the feeling: mentally cataloging Monday's problems instead of enjoying your last hours of weekend.

Usually this means one of two things: you don't have clarity on what's waiting for you Monday, or you're carrying too much.

The Two Types of Sunday Night Anxiety (And What Each One Means)

The Sunday night anxiety has morphed throughout the years for me. In times of uncertainty, it was focused on the anticipation of what might be happening next. What would be tossed at us? What would we be questioned about? When the uncertainty lessened, the stress decreased as well.

Now the Sunday night anxiety is more focused on the to-do list, ongoing projects that are weighing on my mind, thinking through what to do next.

Type 1: "I Don't Know What's Waiting for Me"

This is the anxiety that comes from uncertainty. You left work Friday without a clear plan. Your inbox is a mystery. Your calendar is a blur. You're not sure what fires will be burning when you walk in Monday morning.

This type of anxiety responds really well to systems. You need a process that gives you clarity before the weekend starts.

Type 2: "I Know What's Waiting and It's Overwhelming"

This is different. You know exactly what Monday looks like. That's the problem. It's too much. You're behind on a project. You have a difficult conversation scheduled. Your workload is unsustainable.

This type of anxiety doesn't respond to better planning. It responds to addressing the underlying capacity problem.

The Friday Review System That Saved My Sundays

"If you're waiting for a completely clear desk and an empty inbox before you can take a breath, you're going to be waiting forever."

Here's what changed everything for me: I learned to stop for thirty minutes every Friday afternoon.

My end-of-week ritual is almost embarrassingly simple, but it's been the best weapon against Sunday anxiety. As I near the end of my work week, I take time to review the stacks on my desk and the emails I have left unread.

Read that carefully. I'm not wrapping everything up. I'm not completing every task and clearing every inbox. I'm reviewing what's out there still.

Because everything is NEVER always done. If you're waiting for a completely clear desk and an empty inbox before you can take a breath, you're going to be waiting forever.

My 30-Minute Friday Framework

Work calendar with buffer time to reduce anxiety

Minutes 1-10: The Desk/Email Review. I look at what's still pending. Not to finish it all, but to know what's there. I'm making sure there's no fire smoldering that's going to derail my weekend. Nothing I've forgotten that'll enter my brain as I attempt to sleep Friday or Saturday night.

I'm looking for:

That email from an official that needs a response before Monday
The personnel issue that's been sitting too long without follow-up
The project deadline I committed to that's coming up faster than I realized
The budget question someone asked that I meant to get back to

Not so I can necessarily handle all of it right then, but so I know what's there. So I can make conscious decisions about what can wait until Monday and what actually needs attention before I leave.

Minutes 11-15: The Week in Review. What were my wins? My team's wins? What frustrated me or slowed me down? What patterns do I notice?

Minutes 16-25: The Learning Capture. What did I learn this week? What would I do differently next time? What small process improvement could I make? Who could I delegate something to?

Minutes 26-30: Next Week's Setup. What are my top three priorities for next week? Is there anything I need to prepare for? Anyone I need to connect with? I block time on my calendar for what matters most.

There's a massive difference between "I'm leaving this until next week because I've assessed it and it can wait" and "I'm leaving this until next week because I forgot it existed." One lets you enjoy your weekend. The other guarantees Sunday night anxiety.

The Friday prep routine made a huge difference. When I know what's waiting Monday, when I've thought through my top priorities, when I've identified what could be delegated, Sunday evening feels completely different.

I'm not lying awake at 2 AM trying to mentally list everything I need to handle. I'm not worrying about forgetting something important. I already know what's there, and I've made a plan.

Want the complete story behind this practice? Read my full post: How 30 Minutes on Friday Can Transform Your Week.

What to Do If You're Already in Sunday Night Anxiety Mode

"A lot of times the anxiety would surround worrying about forgetting what jumped into my head."

Okay, so you didn't do your Friday review. It's Sunday evening and the anxiety is already here. What now?

Here's your 15-minute emergency Sunday evening protocol:

What helps when Sunday anxiety creeps in? Making a list. If it's weighing on my mind, I write it down. That way I can put it away and move on.

A lot of times the anxiety would surround worrying about forgetting what jumped into my head. What hurt would be worrying about the what ifs. Overthinking and rolling questions around in my head. Making assumptions based on reading between the lines in conversations. Worrying about what's coming next.

Writing it down breaks that cycle. Once it's on paper, my brain can let it go.

Your 15-minute protocol:

Minutes 1-5: Brain dump. Write down everything swirling in your head about Monday. Every worry, every task, every concern.

Minutes 6-10: Sort it.

What can you actually do something about right now?
What has to wait until Monday no matter what?
What's not even your responsibility to solve?

Minutes 11-15: Choose ONE thing. Pick one thing from the "can do right now" list that will make the biggest difference. Do that one thing. Not everything. Just one.

Then close your laptop. Put your phone away. Give yourself permission to enjoy what's left of your Sunday.

Long-Term Strategies to Eliminate Sunday Anxiety

Person writing in journal to manage Sunday evening stress

The Friday review helps with Type 1 anxiety (uncertainty). But if you're experiencing Type 2 anxiety (overwhelm), you need different solutions.

Strategy 1: Build Margin Into Your Schedule

My schedule is about 50-50: planned, scheduled activities and the rest unscheduled. That buffer time is critical. It's where the thinking happens. Where the unexpected gets handled. Where I can actually focus on something without immediately rushing to the next meeting.

If your calendar is packed solid with no breathing room, Sunday anxiety is almost inevitable. Because you know there's no space for anything to go wrong, and something always goes wrong.

Strategy 2: Address Workload Honestly

Sometimes Sunday anxiety is your body telling you something important: you're carrying too much.

I've been fortunate that my workload is assisted by my team. Growing their capabilities and helping to spread the load has been essential. When you're carrying everything yourself, Sunday anxiety is inevitable. When you have a team you trust to share the load, it gets easier.

But if you don't have that option, if you're genuinely overwhelmed and have nowhere to delegate, that might require a conversation with your supervisor about what's sustainable and what's not.

Strategy 3: Front-Load Your Week

One strategy that helps many leaders: make Monday your lightest day instead of trying to hit the ground running.

Schedule your most demanding work for Tuesday through Thursday when you're fresh. Use Monday morning for planning, organizing, and easing into the week.

This reduces Sunday anxiety because you're not dreading walking into chaos Monday morning.

When Sunday Anxiety Means Something Bigger

"Don't ignore persistent Sunday anxiety. Your mental health matters more than any job."

Here's what I need you to hear: if no system or strategy fixes your Sunday anxiety, it might be telling you something important about your role or organization.

Persistent, unrelenting Sunday dread can be a sign of:

Being in the wrong role for your strengths
Working in a toxic environment
Carrying responsibilities that don't match your authority
Burnout that needs serious attention

Don't ignore persistent Sunday anxiety. Your mental health matters more than any job.

The Mindset Shift That Helps

One thing that helps me: remembering that Monday's problems will still be there whether I spend Sunday evening worrying about them or not.

Worrying doesn't prepare you. It doesn't solve anything. It doesn't make Monday easier. It just steals Sunday from you.

The problems you're anxious about? You'll handle them. You always do. But you'll handle them better if you've actually rested and enjoyed your weekend.

Your Sunday Evening Challenge

"You might still have some anxiety (we're human), but it should feel different."

This week, I want you to try the Friday review. Just thirty minutes before you leave work Friday:

Review what's pending (not to finish it, but to know what's there)
Reflect on the week (wins, losses, patterns)
Capture what you learned
Set up next week's top priorities

Then on Sunday evening, notice how you feel. You might still have some anxiety (we're human), but it should feel different. More manageable. Less overwhelming.

And if you're reading this on a Sunday evening already in anxiety mode, do the 15-minute emergency protocol right now. Pick one thing, do it, then close your laptop.

Your Sunday evenings are yours. Let's get them back.

This is one of 10 leadership habits you should break in 2025. Read about the other 9 bad leadership habits here.

Struggling with work stress and anxiety? I help leaders build sustainable practices that prevent burnout. Schedule a free conversation.

What's your Sunday night anxiety like? What have you tried that's helped? Share in the comments below.

As always, carry social kindness with you everywhere you go. The world needs you and your positive mindset!