For many employees, the workweek begins long before Monday morning. As Sunday afternoon turns into evening, thoughts of unfinished projects, overflowing inboxes, and upcoming meetings begin to creep in. What should be the final hours of a relaxing weekend instead becomes a source of anxiety.
Known as the "Sunday scaries," this feeling of dread about the approaching workweek is nothing new. However, recent research suggests it is intensifying as employees face growing workloads, economic uncertainty, and concerns about job security.
According to an October 2026 FlexJobs survey of 2,100 people, more than half of U.S. workers experience the Sunday scaries. The most commonly cited reason was unfinished tasks hanging over their heads. The phenomenon has become so widespread that Merriam-Webster added the term to its online dictionary in September.
A recent Wall Street Journal article highlighted how employees are increasingly spending portions of their Sundays preparing for the week ahead. Data from workforce analytics firm ActivTrak found that the share of Sunday work activity devoted to messaging and chats increased from approximately 6.6% in 2023 to 12% in 2025.
For some employees, checking email or organizing their schedules on Sunday provides a sense of control. For others, it creates an unhealthy cycle in which work never truly stops.
Why Employers Should Pay Attention
While the Sunday scaries may seem like an individual issue, they can also reveal larger organizational challenges, including excessive workloads, unclear expectations, insufficient support, or a culture that makes it difficult to disconnect.
Concerns about job security can make matters worse. Employees worried about layoffs or organizational changes may feel pressure to work longer hours to demonstrate their value.
Over time, these pressures can contribute to burnout, lower engagement, and increased turnover.
What Can Employers Do?
Employers cannot eliminate every source of work-related stress, but they can take steps to help employees feel more prepared for Monday without sacrificing their weekends.
- Set clear expectations for after-hours communication. Employees should know whether they are expected to monitor emails outside regular working hours. Leaders can reinforce boundaries by scheduling nonurgent messages during business hours.
- Encourage end-of-week planning. Give employees time on Fridays to review priorities, organize outstanding tasks, and prepare for the following week.
- Evaluate workloads. If employees consistently need to work weekends to keep up, reassess staffing levels, deadlines, and expectations.
- Train managers to recognize stress. Regular check-ins about workloads and priorities can uncover challenges before they lead to burnout.
- Lead by example. When managers regularly send weekend messages or discuss working seven days a week, they may unintentionally communicate that constant availability is expected.
- Make Mondays more manageable. Consider whether early meetings, immediate deadlines, or heavy reporting requirements are adding unnecessary pressure.
The Sunday scaries are more than a catchy phrase. They can be an indicator of how employees experience their jobs and their organization's culture.
Reasonable workloads, clear expectations, supportive managers, and respect for personal time can help employees return to work feeling prepared rather than overwhelmed. Employees who can truly disconnect over the weekend are more likely to start Monday refreshed and ready to contribute.
Source: Ray A. Smith, "The Sunday Scaries Are Real—and They're Getting Worse," The Wall Street Journal, October 11, 2026