From Sunday Scaries to Monday Mastery

A simple system to start the week clear, calm, and in control.

Last week’s issue: From Goals to Results 

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Welcome back to House of Leadership.
We explore what it really takes to grow and lead in high-performance environments. It’s not just about metrics, it’s about visibility, habits, leverage, and building teams that scale. Whether you’re climbing the ladder or coaching others to the top, this is your weekly playbook.

👉 This week: Crushing the Sunday Fear, how to turn dread into momentum and fly into Monday ready to lead.

You’ve felt it:

It’s Sunday evening.
Work emails are closed, dinner’s done… but your mind’s not relaxing.

Instead, there’s a slow creep of anxiety.
You start thinking about tomorrow’s meetings.
That one conversation you’ve been avoiding.
The pile of tasks waiting.

This is Sunday fear (aka the Sunday Scaries).
And for leaders, it can hit even harder, because Monday isn’t just “back to work,” it’s back to being the battery for everyone else.

Why Leaders Feel It More

The higher you go, the more Monday means:

  • Decisions that affect the whole team

  • Pressure to set the tone

  • Being “on” even when you’re tired

  • Carrying challenges you can’t always share

For some leaders, this turns Sunday into a half-day of low-key dread.

The Cost of Carrying Sunday Fear

You start the week mentally drained instead of fresh
Small challenges feel bigger than they are
You’re reactive on Monday instead of intentional

Flip it, and you can:
Walk into Monday already clear and focused
Lead from a position of calm confidence
Turn Monday into a launchpad for the week

The 5-Step Sunday Reset for Leaders

1. Close Loose Loops on Friday

  • Leave yourself Monday-ready notes so you’re not mentally holding open tabs all weekend.

  • Decide your top 3 priorities for next week before you log off.

2. Build a Sunday Ritual That Signals “Reset”

  • A run, a walk, cooking a favourite meal, or reading — something physical or creative that shifts you into calm mode.

3. Do a 20-Minute Monday Preview

  • Skim your calendar

  • Reorder meetings if possible to create breathing room

  • Write your Monday “must-win list” — 3 things, no more

4. Set One “Pull Energy” Task for Monday

  • Something you look forward to doing that day — meeting a favourite client, starting a creative project, or a 1:1 with a team member you enjoy.

5. Win Sunday Night

  • No doomscrolling or email-checking

  • Use that time to connect with family, friends, or yourself — keep it nourishing, not numbing.

A quick story from my world

I used to treat Sunday like a soft pre-Monday.
Checking Slack. Running through decks. Mentally solving problems that didn’t need me yet.

Then I flipped it.
I made Sunday sacred — no work until a quick 20-minute Monday preview at 7pm.

The difference?
I show up Monday calm, clear, and 2 steps ahead.
And my team feels it.

Bottom line?
You can’t stop Monday from coming.
But you can decide whether you roll into it tired and tense…
Or ready to set the tone for the week.

🔒 Up next, in the Premium section…
I’m sharing:
🗓 My 45-minute Sunday Reset Routine (including my “week preview” template)
📋 The Monday Must-Win Playbook — how to guarantee momentum by 10am
🧠 The mental reframe that kills Sunday fear instantly
💬 5 leader scripts for tough Monday conversations you’ve been dreading
🚀 How to build a “pull task” list that makes Monday mornings magnetic

Because leaders don’t just survive Mondays — they own them.

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A subscription gets you:

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