While I don’t get the usual “Sunday scaries,” I feel the Friday scaries as my workweek kicks off on Saturday. The anticipation—wondering what kind of day I’m walking into, if my patient load will be manageable, or if I’ll be tracking down family members—definitely keeps me up some nights. Here are a few things I do realistically to ease into the weekend work shift grind:
Getting to Bed on Time: Fridays are the toughest nights for sleep. I make myself head to bed by 9 PM, even if I’m not tired yet. If I can’t fall asleep right away, I’ll read, focus on gratitude, or even count backward from 500. I need a solid 7 hours of sleep to feel functional, and ideally, 8.5 hours to be at my best. Missing out on good sleep? I know I’ll feel it the next day.
Meal Prepping: Three twelve-hour shifts aren’t survivable without some serious meal prepping! Cooking isn’t really my thing, and after a long day, the last thing I want to do is cook. Prepping my meals ahead is essential. I usually have my go-to, fruit box, oatmeal chia seed pudding, and rice with some kind of lentil.
Weekend Reset Routine: I have a whole reset routine that helps me gear up for the workweek. If you’re curious, check out my post on How to Reset Yourself for the Work Week – 3 Twelve-Hour Shifts for the full rundown.
Deleting Social Media Apps: Every Friday, I delete social media apps from my phone. It’s my way of disconnecting from the constant updates, trends, and distractions. Social media can be a huge time sink, and honestly, at work, I don’t have the time to be on my phone anyway. When I get home, I avoid the temptation to scroll mindlessly since the apps aren’t even there. This also makes it easier to wind down for sleep, especially since staring at a screen can make it harder to relax. Instead, I’ll listen to a podcast, read, or do something low-key without blue light, helping me ease into sleep mode and reset for the workweek.
What helps you tackle the “Sunday Scaries?