Do you have difficulty dragging yourself out of bed on a Monday morning? Experience a sense of weariness, sadness or even mild anxiety at the beginning of each working week? If so, you may have a dose of the Monday Blues.
What are the Monday Blues?
“The ‘Monday Blues’ (also referred to as Monday-itis) are best described as the range of negative emotions you can feel at the beginning of your work week.
If you love your job and find it fulfilling, then feeling excited and energised everyday is likely to be the norm. If however, you feel unsatisfied or unappreciated, then getting yourself to work on a Monday can feel like climbing Mt Everest.
Ready to beat your Monday Blues? Here’s 8 ways to avoid them:
1. Identify what’s wrong.
If you’re feeling down most Monday’s, then you need to identify exactly why you feel that way. Make a list of all your concerns and issues that are troubling you. Check in with how you really “feel” about what you do and who you interact with. If you can pinpoint the exact problems, you can then begin to take steps to resolve those issues and get the support you need.
2. Double down on Friday.
Mondays tend to be extra stressful, usually because you have a pile of unfinished tasks from the previous week. To help keep Monday-itis at bay, complete as many heavy-duty tasks as possible on a Friday afternoon. When you clean your work slate as much as you can the week before, your Monday morning will a whole lot lighter.
3. Wake up earlier.
Get a good night’s sleep on Sunday night and set the alarm 30 minutes earlier Monday morning. Giving yourself a little more ‘me time’ will help you ease into the day and make the transition back to “work mode” a whole lot easier.
4. Unplug for the weekend. (or at least Sundays!)
If possible, try to avoid checking work e-mail or voice messages over the weekend. Whilst it can be hard to ignore a bunch of messages on your voice mail, setting clear boundaries between work and your personal life will help keep things in check.
5. Lighten your schedule.
Mondays always seem to be a crazy day in the office (or home office!), so a great game-plan is to avoid scheduling meetings on that day. Aim to book all appointments mid-week, and use Monday to plan and prepare yourself in advance.
7. Elevate your mood.
Half the battle with the Monday Blues is dealing with your mindset. Put yourself in a positive state before you arrive in the office. Listen to your favourite music or an upbeat podcast as you commute. Get some fresh air or hit the gym well before you arrive. Alternatively, sit at your local cafe and sip your favourite beverage, an hour before you face the office frenzy.
8. After hours inspiration.
If you give yourself something to look forward to after work, it will help you stay in a great mood all day. Think about what you could plan on a Monday evening to make you feel good.
- A long overdue catch up with a friend
- Try out a new recipe in your favourite cookbook
- Give yourself a night off from cooking and eat at your local hang out
- Enjoy a Netflix binge-watching fest (complete with popcorn) at home
Whatever it is, make sure it’s something you love to do, that makes your Monday special.