Joinsupermoms

If you run a Monday-Friday work schedule, the grief of losing your weekend freedom can take a psychological toll.

Studies have shown that even when Monday isn’t particularly expected to be busy, people experience low motivation and depression on Mondays.

There are physical effects too. The Tokyo Women’s Medical University published a study in the American Journal of Hypertension that showed a significant increase in workers’ blood pressure on Mondays.

Some research has shown that a disruption of the body clock over the weekend (oversleeping or under sleeping) has led to severe exhaustion on the work Monday.

One thing is for sure, something is causing your Monday blues and you need to put a finger on it. For the most part, sleep or job satisfaction are the culprits.

In the end, you must identify your trigger(s) by analysing when the blues set in and what you are specifically anxious about.

Try to think about what might help you avoid triggers or eliminate them where possible.

Whether you’ve got the blues due to a body clock disruption or are just uninterested in your job, we discuss 3 goals you can work on to kick-off the work week on an energetic note.

Every Monday could be a blast. All you need do is determine to make it so.

Goal 1: Master Your Pre-Monday Routine

Friday is the new Monday. Friday is an opportunity to take stock of the concluding week and plan for the upcoming one.

Before you close for the day on Friday, take a few minutes to take stock. What went well, what needs improvement and what could have made your week better.

Next, organize your workspace and create a to-do list for the upcoming week. This can help you feel more in control and less overwhelmed on Monday.

Also think about how you might want to look on Monday. If you want a positive, energetic, and fulfilling Monday, you’ll need to dress the part!

Even if you don’t have your outfit planned, start thinking about it. After that, unplug responsibly for the weekend.

Maintain your sleep pattern. This presumes your sleep pattern incorporates a sufficient 6-8 hours a night or at the right time during the day.

Find out how much sleep your body actually needs and when and stick to it.

Even on the weekend, go to sleep and wake up at the same time.

Of course, there will be exceptions to the rule, but make sure those are exceptions. Perhaps a once-a-month family tradition or event that came unplanned.

The goal is to not disrupt your sleep pattern such that your body clock has to reset on Monday.

Sleeping or waking a few minutes to an hour later or earlier may not make a grand difference.

But upsetting your body clock by several hours could leave you still waking up tired or hungover on Monday as your body readjusts to the “new” routine.

A good night’s sleep from a consistent body clock can significantly impact your mood and energy levels.

Goal 2: Hit Monday with Fireworks

Do not skip breakfast. A nutritious breakfast is the fuel your body needs to kickstart your metabolism and energy levels.

I love a fat bowl of fruit with a tea infusion in the morning, but feel free to pick any easily available, quick, and healthy alternative.

Fruits are great because they have just the right amounts of sugar, fibre, and carb to keep your body going.

No matter how quickly you have to leave in the morning, give yourself a good 5-10 minutes to sit and do nothing but eat breakfast.

This might mean getting up that much earlier. During your breakfast minutes, breathe, reflect on achievements, no matter how small, and think of how you plan to sustain them. 

Power your breakfast with daily motivation through positive affirmations. Be grateful. Remind yourself of your goals and your strengths. This all forms part of a power breakfast session to revive you for the day.

As you prepare or go to work, listen to uplifting music or insightful and motivational podcasts.

Create a playlist of everything that works for you and categorise your playlists to suit your mind space for the commute.

Like fruits to your metabolism, music or positive messages can define your overall mental attitude for the day.

Start a mini personal project every Monday or build on a previous one. Then, keep the rest of the day relatively light, organising your week’s tasks with the fewest ones set for Monday.

This may not suit every job or personality type, but depending on your work-life schedule, I recommend a soft landing on Monday with the heaviest tasks building up between Tuesday and Thursday.

My kids used to have to turn in a personal project every school term while in high school.

I found it was not just an excellent way to discover a new skill but a brilliant opportunity to learn what they enjoyed doing.

We would kick-off the semester just brainstorming and sketching a skeleton around the chosen project. Mid-term we would do the bulk of fleshing up the project, getting second and third opinions and concluding.

The final part of the term was to smooth out any rough edges and prepare for submission or presentation. 

See if this soft-landing approach might work for your work week, with busier mid-weeks and Friday to wrap up and begin to unplug.

In addition to fewer tasks overall, schedule a pleasant activity or treat for Monday. It could be lunch at a new restaurant, a walk in the park, or anything that brings you joy – including a post-work plan, which I will talk about later.

I love plants, so I have potted succulents on my workstation that I only water on Mondays. I know I have to be here because they need me, but it also brings me so much joy to water and shine them.

When I started a project management specialization and an imaginary project called “Plant Green” was introduced, my imagination ran wild with ideas and joy. Having something to look forward to can make the day more positive.

If the workload gets overwhelming, break down your tasks into smaller, manageable steps, schedule realistically and delegate where possible.

This is why you need to connect with your colleagues. Start by engaging in positive interactions with your coworkers.

Try not to project your stress, fears or anxieties on others as this can be contagious and affect your general work environment. Share a laugh or a positive conversation to brighten the mood.

Really listen and care so that you become part of a supportive work environment. This tells you how much extra work everyone can handle and how much you can delegate. It also tells you what each one appreciates as a reward or form of gratitude.

Approaching tasks one step at a time and collaborating with your team can make the workload less daunting.

Take Regular Breaks as part of an intentional work-life balancing activity. Throughout the day give yourself short bursts of energising activity. Take a walk, stretch, or practice deep breathing. Physical activity can boost your mood and help combat fatigue.

Goal 3: Wrap Up a Not-So-Manic Monday – Your Post-Work Plan

Stay Organized. No point transferring Monday blues to Tuesdays, so before you leave, check that your workspace is tidy and organized.

Clutter can contribute to stress, and a clean workspace can help you focus and feel more in control – in preparation for a great Tuesday.

Hopefully you took out some time to brainstorm on your post-work plan during your regular break or at your power breakfast.

Finally, about the post-work plan. Every day, as part of a post-work plan, plan to do something that is relaxing, rewarding and rejuvenating.

The plan should list an activity for each day of the week that helps you prepare for the next day.

Granted, it could be watching a game while you prepare yourself mentally, for the next day but ensure that you are not left on a daily basis feeling drained and empty.

At the end of the week, your post-work plan should have helped you achieve an overall goal that feeds into your work-life balance.

The Monday Blues get that title for a reason, but you don’t have to be a victim. With a proactive approach and positive habits, you can turn it into a more enjoyable and productive day. After you successfully achieve each goal, treat yourself to reward and I would love to hear your experience in the comments section.

If your lack of motivation or unhappiness persists and you feel like you are in a rut, consider migrating to a new role within your workplace or leaving altogether.