It’s Sunday night and the weekend is almost over. You’re feeling anxious. There’s even a hint of depression. You don’t want the weekend to end. The thought of Monday is creeping up and that feeling of dread starts kicking in.

Familiar?

Welcome (or not) to Sunday night syndrome! My wife used to suffer from this badly at one point. It’s a recipe for burnout. But… there is a way to help combat this.

The answer lies in your weekend.

Weekends aren’t just a break, they’re a survival strategy. I’m a massive Formula 1 fan and watch every race. So let’s compare. Think of Saturday and Sunday as the pit crew in a F1 race. They don’t win the trophy, but without them, the car (that’s you) would be smoking on the side of the track before Monday even starts.

Weekend leisure doesn’t have to be Instagram worthy. You don’t need a mountain hike at sunrise. You don’t need a perfectly curated cheese board (though that does sound rather good doesn’t it?). Sometimes the best ‘rest and play’ is falling into a Netflix rabbit hole, taking a nap that lasts just a little too long, or saying yes to that dessert without even pretending to think about it.

One Sunday my wife and I watched a whole series of Downton Abbey. 8 episodes! It was brilliantly relaxing and fun!

So by Sunday night, if you’ve laughed, loafed, or lounged just a little (maybe more), Monday feels less like an enemy and starts feeling… well, maybe not like a best friend, but at least like that coworker you can tolerate with enough coffee.

So put the laptop away this coming weekend. Play a little, laugh, recharge and remember, Mondays are way less scary when you’ve had some fun first.

Enjoy the cheese… and don’t forget the wine. Cheers!

Georg Voros is a Performance Consultant with 45+ years of top-level experience and author of two books on performance. He delivers high-impact workshops on productivity and flow, and offers tailored mentoring packages to support personal growth and achievement. Learn more at www.vorosperformance.co.uk