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Sunday nights can bring a familiar unease for teachers: the “Sunday scaries.” Just as the weekend winds down, the stress of the upcoming workweek can start to creep in, bringing feelings of dread, anxiety, and even a bit of sadness. But don’t worry—you’re not alone, and there are ways to manage this feeling! In today’s episode, we’re tackling these Sunday scaries head-on. We’ll unpack what they are, why they happen, and, most importantly, how you can navigate them in a way that leaves you feeling recharged and ready for the week ahead.
The “Sunday scaries” are a familiar feeling for many teachers—a creeping sense of dread or anxiety that arises as the weekend winds down. According to Headspace, these feelings, sometimes called the “Sunday blues,” are the anxiety or tension that appears as the thought of the workweek grows closer. Surveys show that nearly 80% of professionals experience these Sunday night jitters, with Millennials and Gen Z reporting even higher rates.
For teachers, the Sunday scaries can be even more intense. They might stem from incomplete lesson plans, unfinished grading, or general worry over the demands of the classroom. Whether it’s the fear of not being prepared or simply missing the freedom of the weekend, the Sunday scaries have a way of stealing peace before the workweek begins.
The natural instinct might be to want to “get rid” of the Sunday scaries, but trying to erase them can add extra stress. Instead, it helps to take a compassionate approach, recognizing these feelings without judgment. Emotions like anxiety and dread are part of the human experience, especially when moving from downtime to a busy workweek.
Instead of simply avoiding these feelings, try approaching them with curiosity: ask yourself why they’re happening and if they’re telling you something important. Could the Sunday scaries be a signal that you need more balance between work and rest? By exploring these feelings, you’re more likely to address the root causes and find ways to make your weekends—and workweeks—more fulfilling.
These strategies can make easing into the workweek more manageable:
If you’re looking to make a lasting change in how you experience the Sunday scaries, start with awareness. Notice your thoughts, feel your feelings, and make small shifts in how you approach the week ahead. For more support, download my free self-coaching guide or join Wife Teacher Mommy Club for resources, group coaching, and community encouragement. With a little practice, you can transform your Sunday nights into a time of calm and reflection, ready to tackle the week with confidence.
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**Kelsey 0:00**
You are listening to episode number 60 of *Wife Teacher Mommy: The Podcast* – “How to Calm the Teacher Sunday Scaries.” We’ve heard from so many of you that this is a common feeling every Sunday night when it rolls around. Your weekend is almost over, and as the workweek approaches, you feel these Sunday scaries. While researching, we found that many teachers are asking Google questions like: *What are teacher Sunday scaries? How do I get rid of the Sunday scaries as a teacher? How do you calm the teacher Sunday scaries?* Today, I’ll answer each of these questions, so be sure to listen all the way through, as some of the tips I share might surprise you. Let’s go!
I’m so glad you’re here listening to *Wife Teacher Mommy: The Podcast* today. I’m your host, Kelsey Sorenson, a former elementary teacher turned homeschool mom. Whether you’re a teacher or a homeschool parent, my goal at *Wife Teacher Mommy* is to provide you with teaching ideas and mindset tools to help you live your absolute best teacher life. Be sure to hit subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you don’t miss an episode. Now, let’s get started!
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Well, hello! Welcome to today’s podcast and this super important episode about Sunday scaries. This is a topic I feel is essential to discuss because it’s a phrase that instantly brings on that feeling of dread and anxiety. If you’ve ever worked a job, you probably know the feeling: as the weekend ends and the thought of going back to work approaches, that anxious anticipation starts to build. Today, we’re talking all about this feeling, and I’m excited to share that I’m bringing my insights as Certified Coach Kelsey to today’s episode.
As many of you know, I started working on my certification with The Life Coach School last November, and it’s now early February, and I’ve just completed my final coaching calls. I’m thrilled to be fully certified, and I’m also proud of myself for completing the program so quickly! I share this not to brag, but to show how we can all be proud of ourselves and take time to recognize our progress. I’ve often talked about a concept called “the gap and the gain,” where we pause to look at our successes and wins before moving on to the next thing. So I wanted to take a moment to celebrate this milestone with you because you matter to me, and I want you to celebrate your successes just like this!
In case you’re not familiar, I got my certification through The Life Coach School, which is owned by Brooke Castillo. I’ve shared on the podcast how life coaching has completely changed my life. In an earlier episode titled “Why My Panic Attack Was the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me,” I share how I discovered life coaching in early 2020, before the pandemic. I’m so grateful that I did because it really helped me navigate through it. I worked with a life coach for over a year and a half, and I’ve continued to work with life coaches ever since because it’s had such a positive impact on my life.
Last year, in March, I added life coaching to *Wife Teacher Mommy Club* because I noticed so many teachers struggling with burnout and in need of holistic support. Since 2014, we’ve been helping teachers with resources like sub plans, and then during the pandemic, we expanded to support parents as well. Resources are essential, but we also need a more holistic version of support. Providing resources is helpful, but if we’re just moving from one problem to the next, we’re not addressing the root issues. That’s what causal coaching is all about. We look at what’s actually happening, and that’s what I’m doing today with the Sunday scaries.
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So, let’s dive in! Like I mentioned in the teaser, I checked Google to figure out what teachers struggle with the most. Some of the top questions were *What are teacher Sunday scaries? How do I get rid of the Sunday scaries as a teacher?* and *How do you calm the Sunday scaries?* We’re going to address each of those today.
Let’s start with “What are the Sunday scaries?” I’ll read a definition from *Headspace*, a mindfulness company that offers a meditation app I’ve used myself and love. Their definition of Sunday scaries, or “Sunday blues,” as they’re sometimes called, are feelings of anxiety or dread that occur the day before going back to work. According to a LinkedIn survey, 80% of professionals experience the Sunday scaries, with over 90% of Millennials and Gen Z reporting that they feel it. It’s especially interesting to see that younger teachers are feeling it even more.
You might feel worried about all the work you have to do, or wonder if you wrapped up your week well enough. This anxiety arises at the end of the time you get to spend relaxing and enjoying yourself, as you start thinking about the week ahead.
My mentor Brooke Castillo created a model for understanding our thoughts and feelings called “The Self-Coaching Model.” I’ll go over it briefly here, as I’ve mentioned it in other episodes and hope to do a full free training on it soon. Let’s see where the Sunday scaries fit in the model.
The model has five parts:
1. **Circumstances** – Situations that are 100% neutral and could be proven in a court of law, like “Tomorrow is Monday.”
2. **Thoughts** – Our interpretation of the neutral circumstance. For example, the thought, “My time off is almost over.”
3. **Feelings** – These are physical sensations in our body, created by our thoughts about the circumstance, such as the anxiety or dread of the Sunday scaries.
4. **Actions** – These are what we do or don’t do when we feel a certain way. For example, if we feel anxious, we might avoid thinking about the week ahead.
5. **Results** – This is the outcome of our actions and how it ultimately affects us.
If you want to learn more about the model and coaching, sign up for my free self-coaching guide for teachers at the link in the episode description and show notes. This PDF will walk you through the steps of the model, share examples, and show you how to make meaningful changes in your life.
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**Ashley 13:52**
I joined *Wife Teacher Mommy Club* because there are so many resources available to club members, from classroom resources to personal coaching. I didn’t have access to coaching before joining the club, and it’s been really valuable to get an outside perspective on the challenges I face. The club offers so much more than resources; it has coaching, a Facebook group, a community, professional development, and the *Educate & Rejuvenate* series. Altogether, these things really help me in my job as a teacher. I wanted it all, and *Wife Teacher Mommy* gives that to me!
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**Kelsey 14:49**
To learn more about *Wife Teacher Mommy Club*, go to wife teacher mommy.com/club to request an invite for the next time we open the doors. I hope to see you inside soon!
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If you found today’s episode helpful, please share it with one or two teacher friends who might benefit from these coaching tools. This podcast is a free resource for them to get support and make their lives better, and it would mean the world to me. The reason I got certified was to help as many teachers as possible. I’ll talk to you next week.
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If you’re enjoying this podcast, be sure to hit subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. If you’re ready to take the next step with me, you’re going to love *Wife Teacher Mommy Club*. Our top-selling resources for Pre-K through sixth grade have been used and loved by tens of thousands of teachers. In the club, you get one-click access to meet the needs of every child you teach while saving tons of time. Plus, you’ll have a certified life coach in your back pocket, with monthly workshops and a 24/7 “Ask a Coach” portal.
Think of my team and me as your personal support team, handling lesson planning while we coach you and cheer you on. Plus, if you love this podcast, you’ll get access to our members-only bonus episodes. And don’t forget, the club includes VIP access to *Educate & Rejuvenate*, our summer conference, and a private Facebook community full of like-minded educators. Head over to wife teacher mommy club.com to learn more.
Being an educator is beyond a full-time job. Whether you’re a teacher or a homeschool parent, the everyday to-do list is endless. Between lesson planning, grading, meetings, and actually teaching, it probably feels impossible to show up for your students without dropping the ball in other areas of your life.
Wife Teacher Mommy: The Podcast is the show that will bring you the teacher tips, practical strategies, and inspiration that you need to relieve the stress and overwhelm of your day-to-day. Your host, Kelsey Sorenson, is a former teacher and substitute turned homeschool mom. Tune in weekly to hear Kelsey and her guests cheer you on and help you thrive as a wife, teacher, and mommy. Because with a little support and community, you can do it all. For access to every single Wife Teacher Mommy resource, join the club at educateandrejuvenate.com/club.
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