Do you suffer from the Sunday blues? I used to, but not anymore

Sunday blues, or the “Sunday scaries,” are the dread or the anxiety that creeps on Sunday evening in anticipation of the beginning of the week.

Sunday blues are real. According to a survey conducted by job site Monster, up to 76% of Americans self-reported having “really bad” Sunday night anxiety.

I used to be one of those 76% Americans. Sunday blues, for me, used to be real.

In fact, Sunday blues would start for me on Sunday morning and would last all day, ruining my weekend.

I would dread going to the office, dealing with office politics, putting in my 9–5 hours in a corporate environment. I would fear the deadlines and the tasks that I was not passionate about, the documents and strategies that I had to write, and the meetings, ah, all those meetings!

Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night with a clenched jaw or even a leg cramp as I thought about the week ahead.

My new Sunday evenings

I’m happy to report that after more than twenty years of paying my dues as a corporate employee, I’m now a free agent, running my own media services company. I couldn’t be happier.

I carefully choose my clients, deliver good work, and enjoy the journey while feeling fulfilled and happy at the end of the day. Most importantly, I no longer suffer from the Sunday blues.

It’s quite the opposite; I love Sunday evenings. That’s when I pull out my weekly planner, review the past week, and prepare for the week ahead.

Now on Sunday nights, I get a rush of adrenaline when I think of the exciting things I will be working on; a new article, a YouTube video, a blog post for a client about a topic I’m passionate about, a piece for a global publication on innovation in the Middle East.

All exciting stuff that keeps me motivated invigorated, and so much alive.

My decision to go on my own was not an easy one, and it comes with its own risks and challenges; the unstable income, the cut in revenue, the hustle for new clients, the constant evaluation and pivoting, but you know what? I love every single minute of it, and I won’t trade it for a stable income and a sense of security.

Choose your misery

I understand that my career choice is not for everyone, and many people are happy and content in their corporate jobs. Also, everyone has different circumstances, and making this leap might not be practical for many at certain times of their lives.

Author Sheldon Kopp said in his book If You Meet the Buddha on the Road, Kill Him:

“He prefers the security of known misery to the misery of unfamiliar insecurity.”

I know for sure that I’m someone who prefers the misery of the unfamiliar insecurity and that my decision to go solo is 100% right, as evidenced by beating the Sunday blues.

Do you suffer from the Sunday blues? Maybe it’s time to reevaluate and pivot.

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