Most of us have heard or experienced the dreadful “Sunday Scaries” or “Post-Holiday Blues”. Typically, these are not fun feelings when they creep up on us. These feelings can lead us stuck in a negative mindset, being down and out, and limit motivation. Before you let this mindset impact your emotions and behaviors further, switch gears! Check out some ideas below.
1. Check your negative thoughts, ground your mindset. When getting stuck in post-holiday blues, a common negative thought revolves around not wanting to return to the work/school week. Rather than focusing on these negative thoughts, choose to ground yourself in another thought or activity. Consider, “I am going to do something today to set myself up for success tomorrow.”
2. Move forward, not backward. Rather than reflecting on the holidays, short weeks and days off, move forward in thinking about the upcoming week, weekend, or month on how you are going to make the most of them. Schedule something to look forward!
3. Get moving, or at least out of the house. Especially with the recent uptick in COVID-19 numbers, many of us spent a lot of time inside. Try to get outside today and shift gears. Whether going for a hike, running errands, or visiting a loved one, motivate yourself to get out of the house today.
4. Do, don’t avoid. If you typically have a routine to get ready for the week, don’t avoid it today. Plan for the week rather than let the negative feelings grow bigger. The more we avoid the inevitable work/school week starting, the more anxious we become.
5. Talk to someone. Pick up the phone today to talk to someone you have wanted to catch up with. Connection is key for helping to shift some of our negative thoughts we are “stuck” on. By calling a friend or loved one we take the focus away from our negative thoughts and help change the channel to someone positive.
Check out more resources!
15 Cognitive Distortions to Blame for Your Negative Thinking (psychcentral.com)
8 Grounding Techniques for When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed – Talkspace