Sunday Night Dread – It’s not a personal failing – it’s a signal

If Sunday evenings fill you with a sense of dread, you’re not alone. Neither are you weak, broken, or necessarily in the wrong job.

The Sunday night dread is not a diagnosis of what’s wrong; it’s often an alarm call to signal all is not well on the work front.

For many people managers, it shows up as racing thoughts, tight shoulders, poor sleep, or replaying conversations that haven’t even happened yet. You might be thinking about a difficult conversation you’ve been avoiding, a performance issue you don’t feel equipped to handle, or a decision you’re worried about getting wrong.

This isn’t because you “can’t cope.” Let’s face it, managing people is complex…because we are complex. It is emotionally demanding and rarely taught in a way that reflects real life.
Most managers learn on the job. You’re expected to figure things out while keeping everything moving, hitting targets, fulfilling the day job, and being fair to everyone.

Over time, that pressure builds.

The problem with ignoring the dread is that it doesn’t disappear. It shows up in other ways—poor sleep, irritability, avoiding situations, or worse, feeling constantly on edge.
The first step isn’t fixing everything. It’s pausing long enough to ask, "What exactly is weighing on me right now?"

Once you identify that, you can start addressing it properly with the right skills, support, and perspective.

Reality check—it doesn’t have to be this hard. There’s a better way to work and live. Sometimes we just need some help to find our way out of the overwhelm. It’s all about working well: being effective whilst taking care of your health.