You’ve had a perfectly fine weekend until 5:00pm on Sunday afternoon. Suddenly you find yourself feeling the anxiety of waking up early and heading into work to start the week.

According to Health Psychologist, Dr. Marny Lishman, the Sunday blues can cause feelings of “hopelessness, apathy, and irritability, as well as depression and insomnia”. It is a feeling that can impact almost anyone, whether you’re an intern or a CEO. If you are like most people, your excitement is through the roof at 5:00 on Friday looking ahead to a weekend full of Netflix from the sofa, or Drinks with friends, but like many, you can find yourself losing those last few hours of the week as the dreadful Monday morning creeps upon you. We’ve been there and thought out 5 ways to help you overcome the Sunday Blues!

1. Resist the Urge to “Catch Up” on Work before the Week Starts.

Feeding the anxiety with more stress, like spending the entire evening behind your computer, can lead to workaholic tendencies. If you do your Friday recap and remain organized with your workflow, re-entry won’t be as difficult on Monday morning. If you must check emails or do a bit of work, keep it under 30-minutes. Of course, there are the occasions when working on the weekend is necessary, just do your best to keep it to the occasional weekend.

2. Break an Old Pattern

Is there no apparent reason for your angst? Some people continue an old pattern of anxiety on Sundays, merely out of habit. If you once held a stressful job, but love what you do now, your Sunday blues may be a product of the past. Neural pathways in the brain hold on to old patterns, well beyond their expiration date. There are many ways to break these patterns, including the Emotional Freedom Techniques, affirmations, journaling, and therapy.

3. Do an End-of-the-Week Recap

I know you’re eager to ditch the desk on Friday afternoon, but take a few minutes to update your project status and task list(s). When you organize your thoughts on paper (or app), your brain won’t feel as burdened come Sunday afternoon. If there is no need to sort out what needs to be done on Monday morning, you’ll feel less stress on Sunday.

4. Identify the Triggers

I’ve heard many people say they are anxious on Sunday, but “don’t know why.” Sure you do, you just don’t want to think about it. If Sunday sadness sets in on a regular basis, carve out the time to analyze the cause. Put pen to paper and make a list of the things that may be triggering you. Is it that you don’t like your job? Are you concerned about a lack of growth in your business? Do you feel overwhelmed by your work load? Some psychologists say that people who don’t have enough to do at work also feel blue on Sunday nights. Do you lack clarity or feel bored at work? Once you identify the problem you have a better chance of fixing it.

5. Keep a Journal

If you don’t understand the reason for your blues, begin tracking your thoughts and feelings on paper. Even if they are random thoughts, you’ll see a pattern after a while.

Monday isn’t a bad day, it’s just been given a bad rap. Begin your morning with a smile and a TGIM (thank goodness, it’s Monday) cheer.