For those who find themselves thinking about work on Sunday nights

When Sunday night comes, for some reason, my mind switches to work mode.
I find myself checking my chats.
I remember tomorrow's meeting.
"I might get rejected again."
"How should I phrase that matter?"
I welcome Monday morning without having slept.

This doesn't mean you are weak.
It is actually the opposite.
It is precisely because you are serious, responsible, and attentive to those around you that your heart feels heavy on Sunday nights.
However, if left unchecked, this heaviness will not end as a personal struggle.
Eventually, it will become the atmosphere of the entire organization.

The problem lies in the "atmosphere," not the "workload"

Many people think, "Sunday night is tough because there is too much work."
But that is not the only reason.

People aren't worn down that much just by being busy.
There is a kind of busyness, like the day before a school festival, where you can stay positive even if it's hard.

So, when is the moment you truly feel exhausted at work?
It is when there is a continuous, unpredictable tension of "not knowing what might be said to you."

In other words, it is when you are in an "atmosphere where you cannot safely fail."

In psychology, there is a state called a "threat response."
When people are placed in an environment they feel is unsafe, their "defense" kicks in before their minds can work creatively.
They stop thinking.
They stop taking on challenges.
They start hiding their true feelings.
This is not a lack of willpower; it is a natural human reaction.

And this reaction does not just happen inside the office meeting room. It continues even after you go home and throughout Sunday night.

Not "not speaking up," but "unable to speak up"

Can you think of a situation like this?

At the Monday morning meeting, the manager says,
"So, why did this happen?" The room goes silent.

But in reality, this subordinate had noticed the risk along the way.
However, when they voiced their opinion last time, it was dismissed with, "No, you're overthinking it."
So this time, they decided to stay silent.

As a result, the manager feels: "Lately, our members don't speak up, do they?"

But the reality is the exact opposite.
They aren't "not speaking up"; they have become "unable to speak up."

This is the biggest point that many organizations overlook.
They perceive that "employees staying silent is a problem of ability or motivation."
But in reality, it is a problem of the atmosphere.
It is a sign that psychological safety is declining.

A sign that the organization is quietly weakening

What is scary is that this change does not immediately show up in the numbers.

Sales do not drop immediately.
But these things start to happen little by little.

Small talk disappears from meetings.
Consultations decrease.
Reporting becomes delayed.
People start preparing excuses before they prepare proposals.

This is a sign that an organization is quietly beginning to weaken.

Professor Edmondson, known for her research on psychological safety, states, "In organizations with low psychological safety, people prioritize 'not failing' above all else, choosing defense over taking risks."
Organizations that focus solely on results unconsciously send a message to employees to 'protect your performance rating rather than the future.'
As a result, the organization slowly and surely begins to stiffen from within.

What you can do starting tomorrow—'Acknowledge' first

So, what should you do?
Before introducing special systems, the first step is to change your small, daily reactions.

There is something that managers, in particular, can try starting tomorrow.

That is to 'acknowledge first' before 'giving the correct answer.'

When a subordinate says something, don't immediately reply with 'But...'
Please try incorporating this first.

"I see."
"So that's how you saw it."
"Thank you for telling me."

Just by doing this, the atmosphere in the room will begin to change.
The reason is simple.
People can only express their next thought the moment they feel they have been 'acknowledged.'

This does not mean 'agreeing.'
It means sending a signal that says, 'I have heard your words.'
The foundation of psychological safety is built upon the accumulation of these small interactions.

The indicator that management should look at is the 'Monday face'

I would also like to propose a perspective for business owners and managers.

"What kind of expression do my employees have when Monday arrives?"

Try looking at this as an indicator to measure the health of your organization.
The 'body temperature' of an organization, which cannot be seen when only chasing numbers, is found here.

What are employees feeling on Sunday night?
If the true nature of that burden is not the 'workload' but an 'atmosphere where one cannot feel safe,' then that is a management issue that must be addressed immediately.

Summary

I will summarize today's discussion into three points.

First.
The reason Sunday night is painful is not just the workload.
Being in an 'atmosphere where you cannot safely fail' is wearing down your mind and body.

Second.
Employees who 'do not speak up' are not a problem of ability or motivation, but a problem of the atmosphere.
Please take silence in an organization as a sign of quietly progressing weakness.

Third.
Psychological safety is not created by large systems, but by small, daily reactions. This one phrase, 'acknowledge first,' is the first step toward changing the atmosphere of the room.

If you read today's story and felt, "This might happen at my workplace."
Tomorrow, try accepting someone's words without denying them just once.
That alone will start to change the atmosphere of your workplace a little.

This was Deji-Deji, a communication designer.