The Sunday Scaries and the Psychology of Anticipation

1 Jul 2026 · 3 min

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3:08

In this monologue, TJ Walker explains that the discomfort many feel on Sunday evenings—known as the "Sunday scaries"—stems largely from anticipation rather than the day itself. He describes how the brain reacts to expected stress from the upcoming week, creating anxiety before Monday arrives, and also how people experience a quiet disappointment that the weekend ended too quickly or never lived up to expectations. Walker contrasts negative anticipation, which fuels anxiety, with positive anticipation, which generates energy, emphasizing that looking forward to enjoyable plans can improve emotional states even before the activity occurs. He notes that adults often let their calendars fill with obligations, losing the habit of scheduling anticipatory experiences, leading to a flat, "bleh" feeling. As a remedy, he advises intentionally creating regular, enjoyable activities—such as sports, social gatherings, hikes, or movie nights—to harness the energizing power of anticipation, rebuild emotional momentum over weekends, and prevent emotional drain.

Chapters

Ultimize. One reason Sunday evenings feel emotionally difficult for many people has surprisingly little to do with Sunday itself. It often has more to do with anticipation. Human beings are deeply, deeply affected by what they expect is coming next. If Monday feels stressful, chaotic, overwhelming, or emotionally draining, your brain often starts reacting to that anticipated stress long before Monday morning actually arrives. That's part of what people casually call the Sunday scaries. But there's another layer to this that people don't talk about often enough. Many adults also experience disappointment on Sunday night—not dramatic disappointment, but quiet disappointment—a feeling that the weekend somehow disappeared too quickly. Or never became what they hoped it would become in the first place. And anticipation works in both directions. Negative anticipation creates anxiety. Positive anticipation creates energy. That's one reason enjoyable plans matter so much psychologically. Looking forward to something changes emotional experience before the activity even happens. A dinner with friends that you know is coming, a tennis match, a pickleball game, a hike, a concert, a family gathering, a funny movie night, a beach walk, a bike ride. Part of the emotional benefit often begins before the event itself. You anticipate it. Children naturally understand this. Adults unfortunately often lose it. As adults, many people slowly stop scheduling experiences that create positive anticipation. Their calendars become filled almost entirely with obligations, maintenance, work, errands, Zoom calls, and passive default behaviors. And eventually life starts feeling emotionally bleh, kind of flat. One of the simplest ways to improve the emotional quality of your weekends is this: intentionally create something to look forward to. Not once a year, not only on vacations, but regularly, because the anticipation itself is emotionally energizing. One reason I enjoy having recreational activities like competitive pickleball built into many weekends is not merely the exercise, it's anticipation. You wake up already connected to something active, social, playful, and engaging in instead of just drifting immediately into passive routines, sitting around and scrolling, that changes emotional momentum. And momentum matters enormously, especially during weekends, because weekends are often when people either rebuild emotional energy or slowly drain it without fully realizing why.