Monday – the only day of the week to cause an instant eye roll. If you feel overwhelmed, unmotivated and anxious at the beginning of the work week, you may have a case of the Monday Blues. Let’s explore some ways to combat these feelings and start the week from a positive perspective.
What Causes the Monday Blues?
The Monday Blues can stem from a number of sources. If you hate your job, Monday represents the start of yet another week of work. If you experience social anxiety, Monday is the first day in a chain of anxiety-ridden activities. If you’re behind with work, Monday triggers work-related stress.
No matter what the root cause may be, Monday is the start of something. If your work week starts on a Wednesday, you may experience your own version of Wednesday Blues. This condition simply references the fact that you have several days of potentially unpleasant events to come.
Determine Why You Feel the Monday Blues
In order to fight the Monday Blues, you need to examine why you personally feel this way. What about Monday causes you anxiety? Is it the workload? Is it someone you work with? Is it the fact that you’re away from home? Assess the source of your Monday Blues so you can find a way to accommodate it.
Don’t Put Tasks off until Monday
When the end of the work week rolls around, you may be tempted to push tasks into next week. “I’ll just take care of that on Monday.” Flip the mentality, and use the end of the week to get ahead of the following week. That way, you can start the week off with a manageable workload. Knowing that you’re already ahead of the game will be an instant stress relief.
If you are in control of your workload, consider giving yourself an easy/light schedule on Monday. Save the heftier tasks for the middle of the week, giving you time to wind down before the weekend.
Change Negative Thinking Habits
If you spend the entire weekend dreading Monday, it’s not going to go well. If you wake up Monday morning with a bad attitude, you’re setting yourself up for a bad day. If you tell yourself that Mondays suck, Mondays are going to suck. It’s time to take control of those negative thought patterns.
Start your week with a positive mindset. “I know what tasks I need to accomplish, and I’m going to accomplish them.” Consider Monday to be your fresh start. All the stress from last week is gone. You get to start this week anew. Curing the Monday Blues is truly about mind over matter. You’ve got this!
Maintain a Healthy Sleep Schedule
Getting plenty of rest will keep your stress to a minimum. Go to bed and wake up around the same times every day, including on the weekends. Don’t overstretch yourself on the weekends. Leave plenty of time to relax, take naps, and do absolutely nothing. This will give you lots of energy to take on Monday with.
Leave Work at Work
If possible, avoid checking work emails or answering work calls over the weekend. You need to establish a work/life balance that allows you to step away from the stress. Your days off should be about you and your family, not the stress of the upcoming work week. If you can stay unplugged and disconnected, you won’t spend the weekend worrying about Monday.
If you’d like personalized advice on how to reduce stress and anxiety, contact Sherman Counseling. We will gladly set you up with a therapist near you.
