The Wisdom in “Sunday Night Dread”
If you’ve experienced it, you know exactly what I’m referring to. For many reading this article as it’s published on a Monday evening after a long weekend, the feeling may be all too familiar. Sunday night dread is that uneasy feeling, deep in your gut, obstructing your ability to enjoy your weekend, unwind, and be present with your family in anticipation of the stress and anxiety of the approaching work week. The feeling is awful, but it can also be a gift. Sunday night dread is your body telling you it’s time to make a move.
You’re not alone in the feeling. Since the official launch of my career coaching business last week, numerous women have confided in me that they are experiencing high levels of work-related anxiety and depression. Their stories have reflected recent research regarding the impact of COVID-19 on work-related stress. The switch for many professionals to working from home during the pandemic has led to increased hours at their desk and higher workloads. For many moms, the increased work hours coincided with increased home and caregiving responsibilities. Despite feeling drained, more than four in every ten currently employed people are actively planning their next career move. Feelings of dread and anxiety are not sustainable, but many still are resistant to making a change.
Fortunately, making a career move is almost certainly in the best interest of your wallet in the long-term. In fact, staying with an employer for more than two years has been shown to decrease your earning potential by an astonishing 50% or more over the course of your lifetime. The average raise a person receives by leaving for a new position is 10%-20%; contrast that to the average 3% wage increase if you stay in your current position, and the logic of seeking a new position becomes clear. The stigma of changing jobs every few years is also rapidly disappearing as employers find that, particularly with millennial workers, their desire to learn, develop, and advance their careers actually makes for better employees who are higher performing and even more loyal because they care more about making a good impression for the short time they’re with each employer.
Ignoring the warnings signs of Sunday night dread could lead to depression, illness, or other serious symptoms of work-related burnout. However, the rewards of charting a new path could be life-changing. Beyond increased earning potential and greater professional satisfaction, this kind of change can help energize you to take better care of yourself and your family. The dread you may be feeling at the end of the weekend is your signal that it’s time make a pivot and allow yourself to recover. Don’t ignore the wisdom in your gut.
Alison Shih is a coach for high achieving women seeking to make a career transition. She and her husband live in New Orleans with their two-year old daughter and neurotic corgi. Website: alisonshih.com; Instagram: alisonshih.coaching