The first “business as usual” week of the new year is always a mixed bag. Your sleep schedule is off. You probably ate and drank more than usual over the holidays. You might still be holding onto a little hometown nostalgia.
And then—suddenly—you’re back to reality, staring at a fresh calendar and a long list of goals and expectations. Bad habits you’re determined to break. New, healthier ones you’re set on forming. Whether you crushed it this week or just trudged along, you showed up—and that counts.
Last Sunday, before the work week began, the Sunday Scaries set in. I didn’t prep for the week. I didn’t do laundry. I wanted more rest and dreaded having to lock back into my routine. Being the boss doesn’t exempt you from that feeling. If anything, the weight of accountability feels heavier. And I always have this paranoia that my team secretly hates me and thinks I’m doing a bad job
But when Monday rolled around, I woke up on time. Small win.
I went to the gym for a much lighter workout than usual. Another small win.
We had a backlog of orders, so I jumped into fulfillment—and suddenly half the day was gone.
Getting into the flow of work, without overthinking, and stacking a few quick wins helped me find my footing again.
I’ve noticed that action is one of the most reliable ways to calm my anxiety.
When I feel anxious at the start of the week, it’s usually because my to-do list feels overwhelming, I’m questioning my leadership, or I feel uncertain about some aspect of the business or an upcoming collection. The sooner I start working, the better I feel—because what once felt nebulous and scary starts to feel concrete and manageable. That might mean responding to emails or designing a print. None of it has to be perfect. Progress is enough. Progress builds momentum.
Hiding from responsibility, even though it’s often what I want to do, has never actually made me feel better. It only prolongs the anticipation, drowns me guilt, and makes my to-do list pile up even higher. Because entrepreneurship is such an emotional rollercoaster, I’ve had to learn which feelings are worth listening to and slowing down for, and which ones need to be met with logic, a little friction, and action.
I’m a big believer in action. Act before you’re certain. Act before you’re ready. Because action builds momentum. Momentum speeds up decision-making. Faster decisions lead to more action. And over time, repeated action compounds—quietly bending reality in ways you don’t notice until your life looks completely different.
So if the Sunday Scaries are setting in for you today, pick one small thing to start.
Clarity tends to follow action.
Momentum will meet you once you begin.
Happy Sunday,
Nasrin