A third of Brits dread the Monday morning commute; One in fourteen plan a ‘Sunday Funday’ to delay thoughts of Mondayand more than half of colleagues confess to working on a Sunday to get ahead for the week.

Anxious about returning to work on a Monday and dejected the weekend is over, a new study by reed.co.uk reveals 22.9 million* Brits suffer from ‘Sunday Night Fear’.  This condition, which effectsthree quarters of the nation (75 percent) occurs by 7pm every Sunday. Sitting in traffic, or squeezed onto a busy train, a third of Brits (34 percent) cite the daily commute to be the number one reason they suffer ‘Sunday Night Fear’. An additional quarter of Brits (25 percent) confess to snoozing alarms, fearing the early morning wake-up call the most.

Reasons for ‘Sunday Night Fear’ differ between industry, with one in six teachers (16 percent) saying they dread Monday’s heavy workload, while one in fourteen of those working in the energy sector (7 percent) admitting they hate dressing smart for work. For one in 20 workers in the creative industries (5 percent), their main cause of concern was returning to work on a Monday after a potentially embarrassing Friday night out with colleagues. Getting organised for the week ahead is the most popular way to beat the Sunday night blues, as two in five (40 percent) like to prepare for the week ahead  by washing clothes and making packed-lunches. 

One in fourteen (seven percent) capitalise on the remaining hours of the weekend by having a ‘Sunday Funday’ – visiting the cinema, catching up with friends, having drinks or going out for dinner.  Tech workers in particular don’t like to recharge their batteries on a Sunday, with one in 20 (five percent) admitting they enjoy a ‘Sunday session’ at the pub. More than half of eager employees (56 percent) are keen to get ahead for the week and spend a few hours on a Sunday checking emails and planning for the week to come. Lessons don’t stop over the weekend for teachers as almost three quarters (68 percent) admit to spending Sundays planning for a busy week ahead.

Not all workers suffer from Sunday night Fear however, as the research revealed nearly half of working Brits (49 percent) look forward to a fresh start on a Monday, with a desire to achieve something as their main motivation. A quarter of workers (26 percent) relish getting back into a routine at the start of the week, and one in eight (12 percent) can’t wait for a Monday morning natter with colleagues. Lynn Cahillane, Communications Manager at reed.co.uk, said: “It’s important for employees to strike a good work/life balance, so be sure to make the most of your weekend to avoid that dreaded feeling on a Sunday evening. If you‘re really concerned about returning to work, then it might be time to consider looking at what’s available within the job market. There are a huge number of positions available on reed.co.uk giving you the chance to find a job where you really can love Mondays.” 

Top 10 industries that suffer Sunday Night Fear:

1. Media and publishing (86 percent)

2. Marketing, advertising and PR (80 percent)

3. Creative arts and design (75 percent)

4. Teaching and education (71 percent)

5. Science and Pharmaceuticals (69 percent)

6. Information Technology (63 percent)

7. Property and Construction (62 percent)

8. Health and Social Care (62 percent)

9. Accounting, banking and finance (60 percent)

10. Recruitment and HR (59 percent)