Do you have strong feelings of anxiety, sadness, or tension at the beginning of each workweek? Do you feel unmotivated and unproductive on Mondays? Do you feel drained?
If your answer is “Yes”, you might have a case of Monday Blues.
“Monday Blues” refers to a set of negative emotions many of us experience at the start of the workweek if we are not motivated to work and feel unhappy at work. Maintaining a great relationship on the first day of the week can be tough for many individuals, but it isn’t something one cannot achieve. Mondays aren’t the enemy here. If you dread Mondays, it will not be too long before you dread every day of the week. And that’s no way to spend the week. Loving Mondays is the same as loving any other day, apply enough self-care to get you through until it’s less of a chore. Here are 10 ways to beat the dreaded Monday Blues:
Ways to Turn Monday Blues into a Positive Experience
- Find the Job you Love
Do you want to spend the rest of your life working a job you hate? If you follow your passion and work a job you love, you will not experience Monday Blues. Finding a job you will love starts with understanding what inspires you and what makes you motivated and content. Since everyone is different, spending time deciding what’s truly important to you is imperative.
- Unplug for the Weekend
Experiencing Monday Blues could clearly indicate that you need stricter boundaries between work and play. When you leave the office on Friday, leave your work-related issues and focus on enjoying the time off. Sometimes going back to work on Monday feels aggravating because you let it creep into your off-time, so it never even feels like you had a weekend. Everyone should be able to return to work after the weekend feeling relaxed and ready to take on the week.
- Prepare for Monday on Friday
Mondays can be particularly stressful because of any accumulated work from the previous week, and it might be difficult to get started right away. We should complete as many tasks as possible before the end of Friday which will eventually help us avoid feeling overwhelmed on Monday morning. Also, we can take some time on Friday to create a to-do list for the upcoming week. Having a plan can help us feel more organized and less anxious about the upcoming week.
- Use Affirmations
Begin the week with an “attitude of gratitude.” When you arrive at work, try not to be a complainer—and keep your Monday morning crankiness to yourself. Instead, you can be grateful for the opportunity to start a new week and make progress toward your goals. You can use the following affirmations to help you get through Monday:
- “I am confident in my abilities and trust that I will make the most of this day”
- “I am surrounded by love and support, and I will thrive today”
- “I am ready to face any challenges that come my way today”
- On Monday, Get rid of the Captive Mentality
Mondays can be challenging to stay motivated, especially if you approach them with the idea that the weekend’s fun and relaxation are over and that “real life” has resumed. Spend some time analyzing and appreciating the qualities of your job that you consider interesting. It would help if you choose to convert your fear and anxiety into positive, productive, and happy welcome to Monday energy. Spread positivity at work, and you’ll not only have a better day generally, but you’ll also enhance the working environments of those around you.
- Organize Fun Sessions on Mondays
Why save fun activities for Fridays when they could be done on Mondays to maintain enjoyment and avoid the Monday blues? Making Mondays exciting, thoughtful, enjoyable, and interesting is a great approach to fighting off the blues and gives individuals a reason to look forward to returning to the office after a break.
- Don’t Pen Down Mondays
The idea of not jotting down the plans for Monday beforehand helps in expanding the day in a better manner. This also helps in processing a flexible schedule instead of a stiff one. Spending an hour to two every Monday morning focusing on tasks you could automate the set goals. This helps in carving out time and reviewing the process rightly.
- Don’t Live for the Weekends
Another way to beat the Monday Blues is to avoid relying completely on weekends. For personal growth, weekdays should be taken as seriously as weekends, and you should make a point to invest some time of your day towards other hobbies/ tasks too! Living for the weekend also casts down motivation and enthusiasm, which becomes a red flag in the longer run.
- Pamper Yourself throughout the day
Monday sometimes feels tedious if you forget to pamper yourself by not getting enough sleep or not having something that excites you Instead as an encouragement to yourself, you can wake up early in the morning, prepare some of your favorite food, and wear your favorite outfit to make yourself feel confident. On the other hand, it is also important to prioritize your mental health, by meditating or listening to music.
- Make a Vision Board
A comprehensive vision is important in directing your effort to achieve your goal. Creating a vision board for a whole week or month is important and helps in listing out your goals and the process of achieving them. Jotting out your plans brings you a step forward in reaching your goals. Having a vision board will simplify your task on Monday as you will know the task and the means to complete them.
Beating Monday Blues
Monday Blues doesn’t have to be a negative experience. If you hate Mondays, the cause is more likely to be in your mind and the decisions you make than your job. The good news is, you can make yourself feel better. Sure, the transition will be uncomfortable, but it is better than living with unhappiness every single day. Setting a positive tone, focusing on your goals, and taking care of yourself can turn Monday into a day of new opportunities and possibilities. So, embrace the week ahead with a smile and a positive attitude, and see what you can achieve!
We at iQuasar believe in maintaining a healthy work-life balance, which helps our team members beat Monday Blues. We promote taking charge of our Mondays rather than letting Mondays take charge of us!