Learn the practical strategies the youngest generation in the workforce uses to reduce work-related anxiety and build a more sustainable and profitable career.
The “Sunday Scaries” refer to the wave of anxiety and dread that many people feel on Sunday afternoon as the weekend comes to a close and the workweek looms. This feeling is often a symptom of a deeper issue, such as a lack of engagement at work, a toxic environment, or a feeling of being overwhelmed. For decades, this anxiety was accepted as a normal, unavoidable part of professional life. The prevailing wisdom was to simply push through it for the sake of your career and financial security.
1. They set firm boundaries by redefining what it means to be a good employee.
Instead of constantly going above and beyond to the point of exhaustion, many in Gen Z are embracing a more bounded approach to work. This mindset involves fulfilling all the duties of their job description thoroughly and effectively during work hours, but resisting the pressure to take on extra work or be constantly available outside of those hours. It’s a quiet rejection of “hustle culture” in favor of a sustainable pace.
This matters because it prevents the burnout that leads to the Sunday Scaries. By preserving their energy and mental health, they can perform at a high level consistently over the long term, avoiding the costly mistakes and career setbacks that come from being overworked. A practical tip is to disable work email notifications on your phone after your workday officially ends to create a clear mental separation.
2. They build multiple income streams through side hustles.
A major source of work-related anxiety is the feeling of being completely dependent on a single job for your entire livelihood. Gen Z mitigates this fear by actively cultivating multiple income streams through side hustles, freelance projects, or small online businesses. This creates a financial safety net and a sense of empowerment, as their financial security is not tied to the whims of one manager or company.
Having a diversified income reduces the pressure and dread associated with their primary job. The 9-to-5 becomes just one part of their financial picture, not the entire thing. A rule of thumb is to identify a hobby or skill you enjoy and explore ways to monetize it in a low-stakes way, such as by offering your services on a freelance platform.
3. They are more willing to choose freelance careers for greater autonomy.
For many in Gen Z, the ultimate antidote to the Sunday Scaries is to eliminate the traditional job structure entirely. They are increasingly choosing to build freelance careers that offer them complete control over their schedule, their projects, and their work environment. As a freelancer, you are your own boss, which can be a powerful way to eliminate the anxiety caused by a difficult manager or a toxic office culture.
This autonomy allows them to build a work life that is aligned with their personal values and energy levels. It’s a proactive move to design a career that doesn’t produce dread in the first place. A first step to explore this is to take on a single, small freelance project in your field to see if the self-directed work style is a good fit for you.
4. They use Sunday as a day for proactive life administration.
Instead of letting anxiety build, many young workers use a portion of their Sunday to get organized and feel a sense of control over the upcoming week. This “life admin” block can include meal prepping, choosing outfits for the week, reviewing their calendar, and setting a few key priorities. This transforms Sunday from a day of passive dread into a day of active preparation.
This routine helps to reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed and unprepared, which is a major trigger for the Sunday Scaries. By starting the week with a clear plan, they can walk into Monday with confidence instead of anxiety. A simple checklist step is to spend just 30 minutes on Sunday evening tidying your workspace and writing down your top three goals for Monday.
5. They build strong social identities completely separate from their jobs.
Previous generations were often encouraged to derive a large part of their identity and social life from their profession. Gen Z tends to be more intentional about building a full and engaging life outside of their 9-to-5. They cultivate hobbies, friendships, and community involvement that are completely unrelated to their career. This ensures that their sense of self-worth is not exclusively tied to their job performance.
When your job is not your entire identity, the stakes feel lower, and the Sunday Scaries lose much of their power. A job becomes something you do, not everything you are. A practical tip is to schedule a recurring, non-negotiable social activity or hobby for one night during the workweek to ensure you are making time for your outside interests.
6. They treat their mental health as a critical financial asset.
Gen Z is the generation most likely to view mental health care, such as therapy, as a non-negotiable and essential expense, not a luxury. They understand that unmanaged stress, anxiety, and burnout can lead to poor decision-making, a lack of productivity, and even the need to take a costly, unpaid leave of absence from work. They see investing in their mental health as a direct investment in their long-term earning potential.
By proactively managing their mental wellbeing, they are protecting their ability to show up to work as their best selves. This prevents the buildup of the chronic stress that causes the Sunday Scaries. As a best practice, you can investigate what mental health resources, such as an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), are offered by your employer.
7. They are quick to leave jobs that cause chronic anxiety.
Unlike older generations who might have been encouraged to stick it out in a difficult job, Gen Z is far more likely to see a job that consistently causes them dread as a bad investment of their time and energy. They are more willing to change jobs, or “job-hop,” to escape a toxic manager, a poor work-life balance, or a role that is simply not a good fit.
They recognize that the long-term cost of staying in a soul-crushing job—in terms of both mental health and career stagnation—is far greater than the short-term inconvenience of a job search. A rule of thumb is to assess your role every six months: if it is consistently causing you more dread than satisfaction, it may be time to start exploring other options.
8. They focus on the financial freedom their job enables.
A final strategy is a simple but powerful mental reframe. Instead of focusing on the specific tasks or potential stressors of the upcoming week, many in Gen Z consciously focus on the connection between their job and their long-term financial goals. They reframe the work not as a source of dread, but as the engine that is funding their dream of financial independence, a future travel goal, or a down payment on a home.
This connects the daily grind to a larger, more inspiring purpose. The job becomes a strategic tool for building the life they want, which can make the Sunday Scaries feel much smaller and more manageable in the grand scheme of things. A practical tip is to write down your top long-term financial goal and place it somewhere you can see it from your workspace.