Sunday neurosis

We do what we are told to do, or what others do, rather than what we want to do. For 30-40 yrs, we are institutionally bound. We are preoccupied with the institution's goals and achievements. We are bound by the norms, and we always comply with them. For six days a week, our minds are set on meeting the institution's expectations. There is no room for anything else in the mind.

As the weekend arrives, we are gripped with emptiness. The mind becomes empty because no work is expected of us. We may have to meet certain commitments we have already made, but it is not the same as the certainty of an office routine. This is Sunday neurosis; the term was coined by psychiatrist Viktor Frankl. It is what happens when, without obligations and commitments of the workweek, we realise how empty we may be inside.

One day a week, we can schedule our own time to pursue our true passions. We can be creative, doing things for ourselves. We can be an insider for one day a week. We can be reflective and meditative by taking long walks in nature, birding, spending time in the woods by a lakeside or a riverside, watching the flow of water, sitting quietly contemplating life, reading books, gardening or whatever other pastime we are passionate about and wish to pursue. It is important to take time out and promote ourselves when no one is keeping track of our performance. This way, we can overcome Sunday neurosis.