Unfinished assignments, work deadlines, financial concerns and the pressure to meet personal expectations can make the transition into a new week more stressful than expected. For some, even the thought of returning to school, university or work is enough to interrupt an otherwise peaceful evening.

This experience is commonly known as the “Sunday scaries” or “Sunday blues”, terms used to describe the negative feelings that can emerge as the weekend comes to an end and the next working week approaches.

A study published in Frontiers in Psychology on September 4, 2026, explored this experience among employees, finding that it can involve anxiety, stress, fatigue, repetitive worrying and changes in behaviour.

The researchers identified anticipated work challenges and difficulties maintaining a balance between professional responsibilities and personal life among the factors associated with the experience.

The researchers describe the Sunday blues as “a multidimensional weekend-to-workweek transition experience activated by immediate triggers and shaped by broader work-life conditions.”

One participant in the study described the feeling in simple terms: “It’s not very heavy, but I know it’s there.” The statement illustrates how anxiety about the coming week can be present even when it does not feel overwhelming.

Although the study focused on employees in the Netherlands, its findings offer a useful starting point for understanding why the transition from rest to responsibility can feel difficult.

The pressure of having life figured out

For young people, the anxiety surrounding a new week may extend beyond Monday’s schedule. It can also reflect broader concerns about the future, particularly among those navigating university, early careers and financial independence.

Students may spend Sunday evening worrying about examinations, unfinished assignments or whether they are doing enough to secure opportunities after graduation. Those entering the workforce may be concerned about performance, job security, meeting expectations or balancing work with their personal lives.

These pressures can become more difficult to manage when young people compare their progress with that of their peers, especially on social media, where career achievements, business ventures and seemingly successful lifestyles are frequently displayed.

The result can be a sense that there is always something more to accomplish, even when a person has made meaningful progress, so rather than viewing Sunday as an opportunity to recover from the previous week, some may spend it worrying about the demands of the next one.

A participant in the study captured how the feeling can intensify as the weekend draws to a close, saying, “As the time is approaching, the negative emotion is getting more.”

The pressure to be productive can also affect how young people spend their weekends. And some young people feel compelled to use every available hour to study, work, pursue side hustles or catch up on responsibilities.

Others may spend their free time worrying about what they have not accomplished, making it difficult to enjoy the break they have been waiting for. When the weekend ends, they may feel that they have neither rested sufficiently nor completed everything they intended to do.

The September 2026 study on the Sunday blues highlights how dissatisfaction with the weekend and concerns about upcoming work can contribute to this experience. It also points to the importance of maintaining boundaries between professional responsibilities and personal time.

One participant also described the frustration of trying to meet personal expectations, saying, “The overwhelmed feeling of not being able to do all the things I want to do, that’s relatively a recurring feeling …”

This suggests that preparing for a productive week does not necessarily mean filling every hour with tasks. Allowing time for rest and enjoyable activities can also be part of preparing for the days ahead.

Although it may not be possible to eliminate every source of stress, a few practical changes can make the transition into a new week more manageable.

Plan without overwhelming yourself. Setting aside a short period on Sunday to review the coming week’s commitments can help make responsibilities feel more organised.

A simple list of priorities may be more useful than trying to plan every hour. Protect time for rest. Taking a break should not always depend on finishing every task. Making time for family, friends, hobbies or quiet activities can help create a healthier balance between responsibilities and personal life.

Maintain realistic expectations. A new week does not have to begin with everything perfectly organised. Focusing on a few important priorities can be more sustainable than expecting immediate progress in every area of life.

Guidance from the UK’s National Health Service on work-related stress similarly recommends identifying the sources of stress, focusing on what can be changed, setting boundaries and talking to someone trustworthy when problems become difficult to manage.

Occasional nervousness about Monday does not necessarily indicate a serious problem. However, repeatedly experiencing intense anxiety, persistent sleep difficulties or exhaustion may be a sign that the underlying pressures deserve closer attention.

If the feelings are affecting everyday life, it may help to speak with a trusted person, counsellor or qualified mental health professional. Where possible, students and employees can also consider whether their workload, expectations or working conditions need to change.

Managing stress should not be treated solely as an individual’s responsibility. Supportive learning and working environments, reasonable expectations and opportunities to maintain a healthy personal life also matter.

So the end of the weekend does not have to feel like the beginning of another race against time. For young people balancing education, work, relationships and ambitions, learning to prepare for the week without sacrificing rest can be an important part of maintaining wellbeing.

Monday may bring deadlines, unfamiliar challenges and responsibilities that cannot be avoided. But it also offers another opportunity to learn, make progress and adjust plans, so instead of spending Sunday worrying about everything that could go wrong, young people can begin by asking a simpler question: what is one thing I can do today to make tomorrow easier?

Sometimes, a more manageable week begins with that small shift in perspective.