The project
Fluctuations in mood across the week have been researched in the past, but while some recent research shows that people experience the Sunday Night Blues – or the Sunday ‘Scaries’ – at the thought of going back to work on a Monday, findings on the Sunday Night Blues have not been conclusive.
The Managing the Sunday Blues research programme set out to examine individuals’ experience of the Sunday Night Blues, uncover the factors that contribute to it, and reveal the positive steps that employees, line managers and HR Directors can take to manage it.
Professor Ilke Inceoglu was first approached by Channel 4’s Kirstin Furber in 2021 to investigate the Sunday Night Blues in more detail, and put together a research team from the University of Exeter Business School. Following an initial preliminary study, Investors in People CEO Paul Devoy came on board to broaden the reach of this research and insight from themselves and their network.
Aims
- Understand the experience of the Sunday Night Blues and how it impacts people’s working lives.
- Develop a toolkit and website for organisations with guidance for employees, line managers and HR Directors, drawing on evidence from literature and our own research.
- Consult with stakeholders – employees, line managers and HR Directors – to inform the development of the toolkit and website.
Method
This research programme draws on a mixed methods approach, including interviews, surveys and focus groups. To inform the toolkit’s development, we consulted with multiple stakeholders: employees at every level of seniority, line managers, HR Directors and CEOs.
Sunday never feels like a day off. There’s always too much preparation for the following week. Myself and most of my friends get the Sunday night dread. It’s an awful feeling.
Our research found that almost 80% of UK working adults experience the Sunday blues. It feels different for different people, but it commonly includes feelings of anxiety, dread, nervousness and preoccupation with work. For some people, this stress can bring about physical symptoms or affect their sleep.
It’s as if your mind starts to turn from what is generally either relaxation or enjoyment at the weekend into worries about everything you’ve got to do in the working week ahead.
And it’s not just people who are unhappy at work who experience this – people who love their jobs get it too. While some people see the Sunday blues as a sign that they should look for another job, for others, it’s a sign that they really care about their work and doing it well.
Our research found that the Sunday blues can also be connected with feelings of inadequacy and imposter syndrome, especially after a longer break from work.
Can I do this? Can I even do my job any more? You know, your confidence goes down quite a bit.
The causes of the Sunday blues include:
- High work demands and “firefighting”
- A feeling of being unprepared – especially in unpredictable work environments
- Unfinished tasks at the end of the week
- High likelihood of receiving work emails and messages over the weekend
- Workplace culture, lack of role-models enforcing their own work/life boundaries.
Why does it matter?
Happiness and good health
Research has shown that, if we can switch off from work in our free time, we’re happier. This is generally called “recovery” from work, and it’s important for our long-term physical and mental health.
Productivity
Being more able to switch off on weekends is also linked to higher job performance and being more proactive at work.
Avoiding burnout
Studies have shown that high work involvement without sufficient recovery is not sustainable over long periods of time, and recovery from work helps to avoid long-term impacts like burnout.
Role-modelling
Employees look to team leaders and line managers to role-model off-work behaviours and boundary-setting. If you lead a team, looking after your own recovery time can have wide-ranging impacts for your organisation.