Monday Phobia: How to overcome it?
22 May 2009
Read by 2524 persons
Every Sunday, it's the same thing. As the day goes by, you feel anxiety rising as the new work week approaches. In fact, more than half of French employees have trouble sleeping on Sunday night... What if you, too, suffer from "Monday phobia"?
Are you simply anxious or truly stressed, worried, or even phobic? How can such a phobia develop? Let's look at this common phenomenon and our advice on how to deal with it.
52% of French employees have trouble falling asleep on Sunday night. This is revealed by a survey conducted by the online job site Monster between March 3 and 16, 2008, on all its French and foreign sites. Among them, 28% report experiencing these difficulties every week, and 24% quite frequently!
This online survey shows that Monday phobia affects the whole world, since the average, all countries combined, is estimated at 61%. Among the most serene: Spaniards, Danes and Norwegians, where the highest rate of employees who report never suffering from sleep disorders is observed. As for the gold medal for the most stressed, it undoubtedly goes to Americans, Britons and Hungarians, who total 72.6%, 72% and 71% respectively of employees having trouble falling asleep on Sunday.
Two main origins of this phobia
For most, this phobia dates back to childhood and reactivates the anxiety of the schoolboy who hasn't finished his weekend homework. This is explained by Jean-Paul Guedj, management consultant and author of "Vive le lundi! Connaître le bonheur au travail". In this case, the stress generally disappears on Monday morning, once at work. "In this case, it is not a phobia but anxiety, or even anguish," notes Agnès de La Garanderie, psychoanalyst and business coach.
But Monday phobia can also reveal a deeper malaise, linked to discomfort within the company. "There may be relational conflicts between colleagues or with members of one's hierarchy, too much pressure on results or, conversely, frustration related to one's position or an employment that does not correspond to one's personal and professional aspirations, and therefore brings no satisfaction," explains the specialist. "Whatever position the person holds, anyone can be affected," she continues, "from the business leader to the worker."
In this case, the stress persists throughout the week and is systematic every Sunday, at the mere mention of Monday. It is therefore essential to ask yourself the question: what generates this apprehension of Monday in me?
How to overcome it?
There are therefore two scenarios: moderate anxiety or real anguish, or even phobia.
If your "Monday phobia" seems like moderate anxiety:
• Do not bring work home during the weekend. You need to take a break between the work week and the weekend, dedicated to rest.
• Do some sport on Sunday: physical fatigue and relaxation will allow you to better approach the night.
• Plan pleasant moments on Monday: lunch with a colleague you appreciate or an appointment for a massage at a spa after your workday.
• Consult your doctor: if this diagnosis is confirmed, he can refer you to supportive psychotherapy, possibly with a temporary prescription of mild sleeping pills (hypnotics) or anxiolytics to help you relax, get over it and improve your nights.
If it is real anguish, or even phobia:
• Talk to your doctor, who, depending on the intensity and the identified causes, will advise you, for example, to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist: the latter can set up cognitive behavioral therapy that will allow you to analyze the origins of this disorder and will help you cope with it. Sophrology also gives good results.
• If this therapy does not give sufficient results, consider changing jobs, companies or opting for a career change. Perhaps you are not cut out for this job or profession. In this case, the best solution, if feasible, is to change paths.
Not to be confused...
• Anxiety: diffuse fear but that can be managed and can be constructive.
• Anguish: overwhelming fear that cannot be controlled.
• Phobia: disproportionate and irrational fear of an object or event. It freezes, paralyzes, causes real panic.
Karine Touboul
Published on June 4, 2009
Posted online on June 8, 2009
doctissimo.fr
52% of French employees have trouble falling asleep on Sunday night. This is revealed by a survey conducted by the online job site Monster between March 3 and 16, 2008, on all its French and foreign sites. Among them, 28% report experiencing these difficulties every week, and 24% quite frequently!
This online survey shows that Monday phobia affects the whole world, since the average, all countries combined, is estimated at 61%. Among the most serene: Spaniards, Danes and Norwegians, where the highest rate of employees who report never suffering from sleep disorders is observed. As for the gold medal for the most stressed, it undoubtedly goes to Americans, Britons and Hungarians, who total 72.6%, 72% and 71% respectively of employees having trouble falling asleep on Sunday.
Two main origins of this phobia
For most, this phobia dates back to childhood and reactivates the anxiety of the schoolboy who hasn't finished his weekend homework. This is explained by Jean-Paul Guedj, management consultant and author of "Vive le lundi! Connaître le bonheur au travail". In this case, the stress generally disappears on Monday morning, once at work. "In this case, it is not a phobia but anxiety, or even anguish," notes Agnès de La Garanderie, psychoanalyst and business coach.
But Monday phobia can also reveal a deeper malaise, linked to discomfort within the company. "There may be relational conflicts between colleagues or with members of one's hierarchy, too much pressure on results or, conversely, frustration related to one's position or an employment that does not correspond to one's personal and professional aspirations, and therefore brings no satisfaction," explains the specialist. "Whatever position the person holds, anyone can be affected," she continues, "from the business leader to the worker."
In this case, the stress persists throughout the week and is systematic every Sunday, at the mere mention of Monday. It is therefore essential to ask yourself the question: what generates this apprehension of Monday in me?
How to overcome it?
There are therefore two scenarios: moderate anxiety or real anguish, or even phobia.
If your "Monday phobia" seems like moderate anxiety:
• Do not bring work home during the weekend. You need to take a break between the work week and the weekend, dedicated to rest.
• Do some sport on Sunday: physical fatigue and relaxation will allow you to better approach the night.
• Plan pleasant moments on Monday: lunch with a colleague you appreciate or an appointment for a massage at a spa after your workday.
• Consult your doctor: if this diagnosis is confirmed, he can refer you to supportive psychotherapy, possibly with a temporary prescription of mild sleeping pills (hypnotics) or anxiolytics to help you relax, get over it and improve your nights.
If it is real anguish, or even phobia:
• Talk to your doctor, who, depending on the intensity and the identified causes, will advise you, for example, to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist: the latter can set up cognitive behavioral therapy that will allow you to analyze the origins of this disorder and will help you cope with it. Sophrology also gives good results.
• If this therapy does not give sufficient results, consider changing jobs, companies or opting for a career change. Perhaps you are not cut out for this job or profession. In this case, the best solution, if feasible, is to change paths.
Not to be confused...
• Anxiety: diffuse fear but that can be managed and can be constructive.
• Anguish: overwhelming fear that cannot be controlled.
• Phobia: disproportionate and irrational fear of an object or event. It freezes, paralyzes, causes real panic.
Karine Touboul
Published on June 4, 2009
Posted online on June 8, 2009
doctissimo.fr
