Feeling exhausted or vigorous in anticipation of high workload? The role of worry and planning during the evening

In this diary study, we focused on the anticipatory phase of the stress process. We investigated how work-related worry and planning during the evening relate to next-morning exhaustion and vigour, respectively. Moreover, we examined how afternoon workload anticipation is related to next-morning exhaustion versus next-morning vigour, depending on worry and planning in the evening. A sample of 112 employees took part in a daily diary study with three daily measurement occasions over two consecutive workweeks. Results of multilevel regression analyses showed that work-related worry during the evening was positively related to next-morning exhaustion. Moreover, worry interacted with workload anticipation in predicting next-morning exhaustion: On days when worry was high, workload anticipation was positively related to next-morning exhaustion. Work-related planning was not related to next-morning vigour and did not interact with workload anticipation in predicting next-morning vigour. Our study suggests that work-related worry is an important factor in the anticipatory phase of the stress process. Practitioner points On days when employees worry about their next workday during the evening, high workload may already be associated with employees' well-being even before employees are facing it. Worry about one's next workday is associated with lower well-being in the next morning, while planning one's next workday is not associated with next-morning well-being. In anticipation of high workload, employees should refrain from worry about work during leisure time, for instance by engaging in absorbing leisure activities.