Our tips to beat the Monday blues
Mondays. Urgh. Most of us hate them with a passion. That feeling when you know that this is the furthest away you could possibly be from the weekend and that there are five days of toil and labour ahead of you.
Some people hate Mondays so much that it even spoils their Sundays, as the stress and anxiety of the coming weeks start building, usually late on Sunday afternoon.
So how do you combat this most horrid of weekdays? Fear not, because we have the solution. Following these tips probably won’t go so far as making you love Mondays (after all, miracles are very rare) but they will help you cope with the blues far better and make the first day of the week more bearable.
Tip 1: Prepare for Monday on Friday
Yes, we know this sounds a bit weird, but many people’s horrible Mondays start on the Friday. Here’s the scenario: You’ve just had a nice big lunch and you know that you’re only 4 hours away from that sweet weekend feeling. Sure you have work to do, but would it really be so bad if you left it until Monday? No one checks on a Friday afternoon, and you’ll be full of energy after your amazing weekend.
Do not do this. You’ll only leave yourself regretting your shirking on the Friday, as you now have even more work than usual on Monday morning.
Tip 2: Stick to your sleep routine
The temptation is to have a nice late lie-in on a Saturday and Sunday, but if you’re going to bed very late and sleeping until 11, you’re doing your body’s natural rhythm a lot of harm and you will experience difficulties falling asleep on a Sunday night, leaving you exhausted and cranky on a Monday. Once you start the week badly, it all goes downhill. Even if you do go to bed late on the Friday or Saturday, make sure that you get up at a reasonable time. It is far better to go to sleep early on Sunday through sheer exhaustion than to only get 6 hours sleep.
Tip 3: Look positive
Many companies have casual Fridays. Balance this out by making Monday your ‘dress for success’ day. When you show up looking sharp you’ll feel your confidence and mood lift almost immediately.
Tip 4: Be on time
Having to rush in the morning or, even worse, showing up late for work will rocket your stress-levels. It might be a great idea to set your alarm 20 minutes earlier on a Monday so that you can get ready for the week without the added stress of rushing.
Tip 5: Plan ahead
During the extra 20 minutes that Tip 4 will give you, make a list of every single thing you have to look forward to during the coming week. Count your blessings and focus on the positive aspects of work, social life and family. You’ll often be surprised how much difference a simple shift in focus will make.
