Weekend Worry: Americans Begin Feeling Workweek Anxiety Just Before 4 P.M. On Sundays

Overall, 88% of respondents say they regularly feel anxiety on Sunday regarding what will happen Monday morning.

News 12 Staff

Jan 17, 2020, 3:55 PM

Updated 1,573 days ago

Share:

In comparison to the seemingly endless trek from Monday to Friday, the weekend often feels like it’s over in a flash. Staring down another Monday morning, many report feeling anxious about the coming work week by the time Sunday night comes around. Now, a new survey of 2,000 Americans finds, on average, people start feeling workweek anxiety at 3:58 P.M. on Sunday afternoons.
Overall, 88% of respondents say they regularly feel anxiety on Sunday regarding what will happen Monday morning. The research, commissioned by Charisma, also discovered that many adults can’t seem to let go of their work worries and obligations during the weekend. On average, it takes respondents about two hours to completely unwind upon arriving home from work on Friday.
Unbelievably, the average respondent usually performs an additional three hours of unpaid work for their job over the weekend. Examples of typical work performed over the weekend include checking emails (45%), looking over presentations (38%), and making a business phone call (31%). As if all that wasn’t enough, Americans also let their jobs creep back into their thoughts around six times each weekend.
Of course, we all have additional obligations and tasks to get done that aren’t at all connected to our jobs. Respondents report spending an average of three and a half hours each weekend taking care of other mundane tasks such as household chores (48%), grocery shopping and other errands (46%), and budgeting (46%).
So, if we add up time spent on work with other obligations that’s a whopping nine hours each weekend spent on various commitments. Suddenly, it makes a whole lot of sense that 72% of respondents say there never seems to be enough time during weekends to get everything done.
When respondents were asked how they combat their Sunday woes, the top response was carving out some time for themselves each weekend (44%). On average, respondents report getting about four hours of “me time” each weekend. During these getaways, many binge their favorite show (50%), read a book (40%), or unwind with a nice bath (37%). Meanwhile, another 27% catch up on sleep with their free time over the weekend.
All in all, it’s clear from the survey’s results that finding some alone time can go a long way towards relieving workweek stress. A significant portion (67%) of respondents say they feel better about the coming week after some quiet time.
Sleep can be especially hard to come by during the workweek, so it makes sense that 42% of respondents report trying to catch up on sleep each weekend. However, that doesn’t mean it always works out that way; 68% say they almost always stay up too late on Sunday nights, and 71% admit their sleeping patterns are usually out of wack by the end of the weekend.
Additional strategies for fighting Sunday anxiety listed by respondents were: using the end of the workday on Friday to get ready for Monday (35%), getting a jump start on next week’s work over the weekend (34%), and taking a “digital detox” over the weekend (21%).
The survey was conducted by OnePoll.
Story by John Anderer, StudyFinds.org.


More from News 12
1:54
Mild temps to close out week ahead of some weekend rain

Mild temps to close out week ahead of some weekend rain

0:59
NYC public school chancellor testifies to Congress over rise in antisemitism in schools

NYC public school chancellor testifies to Congress over rise in antisemitism in schools

0:39
Asian American Federation holds workshop on anti-Asian hate, mental health at Hostos Community College

Asian American Federation holds workshop on anti-Asian hate, mental health at Hostos Community College

1:15
FDNY: House fire in Van Nest leaves multiple residents homeless

FDNY: House fire in Van Nest leaves multiple residents homeless

1:56
City efforts Bike Bus initiative to promote safe cycling for students in NYC

City efforts Bike Bus initiative to promote safe cycling for students in NYC

0:41
Bronx, Brooklyn smoke shops included in NYC crackdown on illegal sales of cannabis

Bronx, Brooklyn smoke shops included in NYC crackdown on illegal sales of cannabis

1:49
Historic Bronx post office on Grand Concourse is on the market

Historic Bronx post office on Grand Concourse is on the market

0:45
Police: DOE worker arrested for shoving 2-year-old boy's head into a table at Bronx preschool

Police: DOE worker arrested for shoving 2-year-old boy's head into a table at Bronx preschool

0:39
Police: Unionport store robbed 3 times within a week; suspects at large

Police: Unionport store robbed 3 times within a week; suspects at large

1:43
Garden Guide: These plants repel weeds and are a natural fertilizer!

Garden Guide: These plants repel weeds and are a natural fertilizer!

0:20
Authorities: 2 women injured in double shooting in Concourse Village

Authorities: 2 women injured in double shooting in Concourse Village

1:43
NYCHA tenant in Melrose dealing with floor falling apart in home

NYCHA tenant in Melrose dealing with floor falling apart in home

1:41
Bronx family pleads for help to find man missing from psychiatric center

Bronx family pleads for help to find man missing from psychiatric center

0:31
Member of Trinitarios gang sentenced to life for murder of Bronx man on Long Island

Member of Trinitarios gang sentenced to life for murder of Bronx man on Long Island

1:47
Bronx Community College over the moon about newest tree planted on campus

Bronx Community College over the moon about newest tree planted on campus

1:44
Bronx County Fair comes to Throggs Neck

Bronx County Fair comes to Throggs Neck

2:14
DSNY clears trash left by homeless encampment in Kingsbridge Heights after multiple complaints

DSNY clears trash left by homeless encampment in Kingsbridge Heights after multiple complaints

0:25
MTA announces new strategy to improve transit infrastructure for B and D train lines

MTA announces new strategy to improve transit infrastructure for B and D train lines

1:41
Gov. Kathy Hochul regrets saying Black kids in the Bronx don't know what a computer is

Gov. Kathy Hochul regrets saying Black kids in the Bronx don't know what a computer is

1:52
UFT: More than 850 Title I schools have the space to meet NY’s class size law

UFT: More than 850 Title I schools have the space to meet NY’s class size law