Mental Health

How to Win Over Your Monday Blues

Monday blues are very real and it’s become a permanent cultural phenomenon for many working people. If you’re looking to do something about that anxious and sluggish feeling you get every Monday, we’re here to help!

By Aditi

20 May 2022

Have you ever started feeling anxious during the weekend thinking about what’s in store for you on Monday? As a 2019 study by Lehigh University, USA, reveals you’re not the only one. Functions like order cycle time take 9 per cent longer on Mondays than any other day of the week, and it’s due to employees taking more time to do usual tasks.

Monday blues are real, and you’re not the only one feeling lethargic and overwhelmed come Monday morning. When you’re not feeling passionate or the least bit excited about what Monday has in store for you, here is how to overcome monday blues.

Why Are You Feeling This Way?

A 2020 study published in Sage Journals reveals that employees tend to feel more negative and dissatisfied with their jobs at the start of the week compared to the end of the week.

Your attitude about Mondays can tell you a lot about your current state in life. If you are happy with life, feeling dissatisfied when Monday arrives shouldn’t happen. However, if you wake up feeling dread and exhaustion on Monday, you shouldn’t simply pass it off by thinking it’s just how it is. Work, family, hustle culture, and feeling pressured by peers can all contribute to a bad case of Monday blues, and when you’re trying to understand these emotions better, you need to know what’s causing them.

Once you know, ask yourself why you’re feeling more blue than usual when Monday comes around, you can start taking steps that can make Mondays easier and perhaps even enjoyable.

Don’t Just Rely On Your Weekends

If you’re waiting for the weekend as soon as the week starts, it could signify that you cannot relax or rest during the week. You might even spend your weekends looking through everything you have to do for Monday, which can heighten the feeling of dread and exhaustion before Monday even arrives.

When you schedule out small breaks and fun activities to do on Monday, it can help you be positive about the oncoming week. You don’t have to rely on your weekends to refuel and give you the energy for a jam-packed Monday. If possible, try working out on Monday to get your endorphins going. You can try arranging a fun hangout with friends and family after work on Monday, so you have something fun to look forward to. Your weekends aren’t and shouldn’t be the only time you’re doing something good for yourself.

Keep Your Monday Light

There’s no reason why you need to get to all the tasks for the week on Monday. It’s not humanely possible for you to do multiple tasks within a single day. Many people can feel overwhelmed or stressed when they know there are many things to do on a Monday.

If possible, it might be ideal to start scheduling any big tasks or important meetings towards the middle of the week rather than at the start. It can help you prepare and not worry about it first thing after the weekend. You can always delegate tasks to other people when it gets to be too much. It might be ideal to not plan any big professional tasks on Monday, particularly when you feel anxious. It never hurts to ask for help, especially when that will ensure you have more breathing space and less stress.

Be All About The Good Vibes

A winner’s attitude is required when you’re looking to successfully put the blues behind you. You can’t let yourself be swallowed by negative thoughts or emotions that can drag your Monday down. Take a few minutes out on Monday mornings to remind yourself of all the things you’re grateful for. It can also be helpful to go through what you’ve achieved in the previous week, so you have a positive attitude towards the oncoming week as well.

Dress For Success and Smile

How you look, and dress can have a considerable impact on your mood, and when you’re getting ready to tackle Monday head-on, dress for success. Dress in colours that bring you joy and confidence.

Be armed with a smile that makes other people feel happier and positive too. It might be time to whip out that new blouse waiting at the back of your closet or apply the new lipstick you just ordered. Even a Monday can’t stop you when you do little things that make you feel like a million bucks!

Mondays CAN Be Fun

Life is all about perspective. How you look and perceive situations around you can impact how you ultimately feel about them. Sometimes, Monday blues can be a warning sign of something more, dissatisfaction with your job, life, or anything else. Other times, it may simply be that you’re stuck in a cycle of overthinking that amplifies itself at the start of the week.

How you plan your Mondays and choose to think about it is up to you. Planning after-work activities and ensuring you think positively can go a long way in making Mondays bearable for you. Keep your Mondays light and fun, so you have something to look forward to instead of dreading.