I Tried 3 Sunday Scaries Routines From TikTok & This Is What Happened

If you experience Sunday scaries, then you know the weekend only really lasts from Friday night until maybe Sunday morning, at best. Once you realize that Monday is right around the corner, that’s when the all-too-common sense of dread about having to work again starts to set in — and it can really ruin the rest of the day.

My experience with the phenomenon includes wishing the weekend was just a little bit longer and feeling as if Sunday doesn’t even count as a day off because I’m already thinking about emails.

Not to be dramatic, but if I don’t have Sunday plans to distract myself, I’ll spend the day spiraling and sweating and wringing my hands. Either that, or I’ll stay horizontal in bed. It’s why I felt called out by the itinerary trend on TikTok, where creators are sharing perfectly curated to-do lists meant to provide a dose of direction to whoever is feeling lost.

Whether it’s a roundup of things to clean, ways to relax, or mini motivators to make you move, these routines are meant to help get you through the day in the best way possible while setting you up for the week ahead. To see if a to-do list would help lessen my Sunday scaries, I put three different end-of-weekend routines from TikTok to the test.

Routine 1: Sunday Evening Self-Care

This itinerary from TikToker Karley Fiebig lists step-by-step instructions for a relaxing Sunday evening. The goal is to feel cute, comfy, and perfectly distracted while you run through back-to-back cozy activities.

After dinner, around 7 p.m., Fiebig recommends doing last-minute chores, promptly followed by a bath or shower from 7:30 to 8. She suggests adding lavender Epsom salts and eucalyptus to “cultivate the vibe.”

From 8 to 8:30, you can put on a nighttime playlist on Spotify while you do a full skin care routine, complete with a face mask. While that soaks in, you can change your sheets and put on a cute pair of pajamas, as Fiebig says it’ll make the biggest difference in how you feel.

Next, pour a tall glass of water and give yourself one hour in bed to do whatever on your phone, and feel free to turn on a comfort TV show for light background noise. At 10 p.m., set your alarm, put down your phone, and watch a comfort movie until you fall asleep.

My Take:

My tired, sad Sunday brain appreciated the details of this itinerary and how everything was so romanticized. Instead of just doing your skin care, you’re doing it with cute pajamas on. Instead of simply taking a bath, you’re soaking with a candle, a book, and a sprig of eucalyptus.

While staring at my phone does ward off worries, it always feels better to get up and do something else, and this list was the perfect reminder. It was a lot to squeeze into one evening, but the pace kept me too busy to worry about Monday. The background noise ideas were also a big help. The Great British Baking Show lulled me right to bed.

Routine 2: Time To Stop Bed Rotting

To help yourself find the momentum to move rather than spend the day bed rotting, TikToker @lifeasraven made a checklist.

To start, allow yourself two hours of guilt-free bed rot time after you wake up. Then, plant your feet firmly on the floor so you can immediately start moving. Open your blinds and head to the kitchen to make breakfast. While you eat, she suggests avoiding your phone or other visual stimuli, since that can be stressful.

Next, head out to a place where you can complete a few “digital to-dos.” That might include organizing your planner, checking your budget, or going through emails. When you’re done, reward yourself with something fun, like a YouTube video. Make your next destination a lunch spot and get exactly what you’ve been craving. If you can, eat outside and soak up the sunlight.

When you get back home, change into activewear and take a short 10 to 15-minute walk while you listen to a podcast or music. Come home, shower, and then have dinner. End the day by getting into bed by 10 p.m. and relaxing with your phone or a book.

My Take:

I love that Raven’s itinerary was all about gently moving forward and using that momentum to get through the day. Sundays can feel very stagnant, which is why the simplest steps — like putting your feet on the floor — actually do need to be a part of the list.

While I am pro-bed rot, I do feel like it’s important to go outside on a Sunday. When I don’t, it feels like the whole day escaped me, and it honestly makes my scaries worse.

I also loved that this plan included stopping for little treats. Nothing makes my day better quite like the promise of a coffee, a snack, or a fun lunch. Thanks to Raven, I went to an organic cafe that I’d never been to before and got fresh juice and cauliflower tacos.

Routine 3: Cleaning & Organizing

Next up was an anti-Sunday scaries routine from creator @hauskris, who leaned into cleaning and organizing to beat the pre-workweek dread.

After relaxing for a while, she recommends turning off the TV, folding your laundry, and giving your place a once-over — but only after pouring an icy Diet Coke (or whatever your beverage of choice may be).

With your drink procured, proceed to put away laundry, straighten up your desk, and flip your calendar to the new week, where you’ll add important appointments.

To relax after cleaning, consider ordering a pizza for delivery and get back on the couch for some enrichment time in your enclosure before Monday morning.

My Take:

Sometimes Sunday scaries set in because you don’t feel prepared for the week, which is why little things, like organizing your calendar or tidying up, can feel so relaxing.

As I cleaned, I noticed that being proactive did take away some of my stress. Did I vacuum my couch? No. But I did feel better after folding blankets and spraying mirrors.

Not only did this simple routine make me more organized, but it also staved off post-brunch blues. Coming back home after a fun weekend activity is always a bummer, so it was nice to have a mini to-do list to keep my mind busy.

The Verdict

My favorite Sunday scary itinerary was Karley Fiebig’s. I love the idea of ending the weekend with a routine that’s so perfectly curated you actually look forward to it.

I’m also a big fan of simple details, like making sure your pajamas are cute. That can be the difference between feeling like a stressed-out slob and someone who is purposefully going into the week — with no scaries to be seen.