Consider ‘quiet weekends’

The ’quiet weekend’ trend simply means taking things a little easier on a Friday, allowing you to more gradually slide into the relaxation of Saturday and Sunday.

“For those with a traditional Monday-to-Friday schedule, this often means clearing Fridays of long meetings, hard deadlines, highly collaborative activities or tasks that can’t be completed in a day,” says Jill Cotton.

Stick to the same wakeup and bedtimes at the weekend

We know, we know, a Sunday lie-in is a true joy. But stick with us. If you let your sleep routine get off track the second Friday hits, you’re setting yourself up to feel tired all weekend (which can trigger anxiety), and to find it difficult to drift off come Sunday night. Stick to your bedtime and wake up at a reasonable hour to make sure your body and mind are ready for rest and feel genuinely recharged.

Have a self-care Sunday

Make your Sundays a super relaxing, recharging time by consciously scheduling in self-care. Mentally marking this up as a Sunday night ritual can help to make these tasks feel more special and restorative.

Perhaps you’ll always have a bath on a Sunday night, or you’ll read some chapters of a great new book, or you’ll do some meditation. Whatever you choose, make sure you carve out some time to make yourself feel good and ready for whatever Monday throws at you.

Weekend emails and unfinished to-do lists to blame for the Sunday scaries, says research