Weekly Wins: 10 Tips to Beat the Monday Blues
The work week can get monotonous, which is why most of us look forward to the weekend! Spice up the work week. Don’t spend your entire Sunday dreading setting the alarm for Monday morning. Start the week off right with these ten tips and avoid the Monday blues!
1. Don’t live for the weekends
When you’re stressed at work, you are often happier on your time off. However instead of just looking forward to your break on Saturday and Sunday, schedule fun in throughout the week. Whether it’s going to the movies on a Tuesday, or hanging out with friends on Thursday night, give yourself something to look forward to after work.
2. Prepare on Friday
Mondays are stressful in general especially from the work piled up from the week before, and the weekend. Take care of all the worst work tasks before you leave on Friday. It’ll help you start your Monday off better with the unpleasant tasks already done. This also applies to cleaning your desk on Friday evenings. Just throwing out all the useless paper that has accumulated on my desk and wiping it down, relaxes me because it signals the week is over. Plus there is no better feeling than coming in to a fresh start on Monday.
3. Unplug over the Weekend
Avoid checking your work email over the weekend if you can. Your company survived before you got there, they will survive without you for the weekend. The temptation will be there, but unless it’s urgent, take the two days to unplug, relax, and recharge. Otherwise you may not enjoy the time off. By resting your mind and body, you’ll perform better at work the following week.
4. Plan Ahead
My top two tips for planning ahead are for early Sunday night. Lay out your clothes for Monday. It’ll take the stress out of getting ready when the alarm clock is blaring at 6AM. Pack your lunch right after dinner on Sunday if you are a fan of home cooked meal. You’ll not only be eating healthier with a home cooked meal, but you’ll look fabulous as well.
5. Eat Breakfast
Eating in the morning both boosts your metabolism and helps you focus. All those tips you got in school to eat before your day began still apply. No one wants to wait until lunch to eat, so don’t force your coworkers to deal with your crankiness from hunger pains.
6. Hit the Gym
When you exercise, you amp up your endorphins, so an early morning routine will start your day off right! Plus with regular exercise you’ll find yourself not only getting fit, but having more energy to have fun outside of work!
7. Smile
It takes less muscles to smile than it does to frown. Whether it’s smiling at someone at work or when you’re alone, smiles are contagious. It will help improve not just your mood, but those you around.
8. Treat Yourself
Make Monday special by treating yourself, this will kick off your week with a bang. Whether it’s splurging on a fancy latte, or going shopping on your lunch break, doing something out of the ordinary to make yourself feel special. Who doesn’t want to feel special when they have the Monday blues?
9. Get to Sleep
Go to bed early on Sunday, and make sure you sleep enough to feel rested. That means putting your cell phone on Do Not Disturb, so notifications don’t wake you up. This all means putting your cell phone, laptop, and tablet away at least a half hour before bed. Along the same vein, try to stay on a consistent schedule throughout the weekend. If you wake up at the same time every day, even on the weekends, you will be less groggy on Monday.
10. Positive Attitude
Try to wake up with a smile, and think positive thoughts about the day ahead! If you wake up in a good mood, it’ll help propel you through your day. Waking up in a bad mood will only serve to ruin your work week.
If Monday’s continue to be blue, even with these tips, maybe you’re not in the right place. Don’t forget it’s never too late to switch careers! If you do what makes you happy, you’re sure to succeed. If you have any of your own tips, feel free to share them with me @jkfinger.
