It's very easy to get down in the dumps on Sunday afternoons when the weekend is winding down. But there are some ways to cope to make the thought of a new week more bearable. Read on for tips to help you defeat the "Sunday Scaries."

Set Your Intentions for the Week

It's never too early or too late to set your intentions for a good week! You can set up a ritual around intention setting on Sundays by lighting your candle, doing a meditation session and writing down your intentions for the upcoming week in your journal. You can really do an intention or ritual practice at any point in the week to reset, but the beginning of a week seems like such an auspicious time to do so. 

Prep for the First Half of the Week

Prepping for the entire week on Sunday can feel really daunting, so do a few things to ensure the first few days of the week go smoothly rather than worrying about prepping for the entire week in one swoop. Try doing one or two loads of laundry rather than washing every stitch of clothing and sheet you own. Or better yet, if know your upcoming week is busy and you can comfortably afford to outsource laundry altogether, then do it! Try doing a light meal prep of a few breakfast and lunch options for Monday - Wednesday rather than spending your entire day off cooking for the week. It's all the better if a splurge like one meal out can take the pressure off of weekday cooking for the second half of the week.

Do Something that Brings You JOY

As much as I love hanging with friends and family, I am an introvert at heart. So a lazy Sunday afternoon nap or spending an hour reading my current book in a park on a sunny day are things that bring me great joy. But more extroverted folks may find more joy in hosting brunch with your friends or going to a Sports bar to watch a game with a few friends instead. 

Plan Something to Look Forward To for Midweek

When you have a busy or tough week to look forward to, try to plan something you'll enjoy to look forward to. This could be watching the latest episode of Insecure with a glass of wine at the end of your busy Thursday. Or it could mean elevating a regular take-out meal with bae by adding candles and leaving your devices in the other room so you can just talk with each other. Or booking your cycling class on Wednesday morning before work with your favorite instructor. Planning something to look forward to doesn't mean spending a lot of money or time. It just means planning a bright spot in your week that revolves around something you really like to do. 

Do "One Thing" Toward a Big Goal

If your big goal is to secure a job in the next 3-6 months, spend 2 hours of your Sunday writing cover letters and applying for jobs. If your big goal is to get a debt, make Sundays your standing day to check your budget to make sure your on track with your money for the upcoming week. If your big goal is to write a novel or start a blog, spend an hour each Sunday writing. Working toward your big goal doesn't have to take up the entire day to be effective and show progress over time.