We’ve all experienced it: the clammy dread that sets in as the weekend draws to a close and leaves you feeling down and exhausted at the beginning of a new workweek. This is known as the “Monday blues.”
It can be quite depressing to wake up on Monday to an unpleasant workday after a carefree, enjoyable weekend.
There are few ways to help you stay two steps ahead of your feelings on Monday mornings.
Avoid disrupting your sleep pattern:
It may seem apparent, but getting too little sleep can significantly affect how you feel on Monday morning. You may become more nervous and depressed if you don’t get the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.
To prevent throwing off your internal clock, try to stick to your regular sleep and wake times during the week.
Once more, you don’t have to follow precisely the same schedule, but attempt to limit how late you stay up at night compared to how late you would normally go during the week.
Don’t overbook yourself for Monday:
After a restful weekend, it’s common to feel overburdened when you’re inundated with meetings. Prevent meetings and large tasks on Mondays if at all possible.
Make plans ahead of time and don’t leave unfinished business for the following week to avoid stressing about a full schedule.
Use time management tools to better organise your schedule and keep track of your activities if you’re finding it difficult to juggle everything.
Give yourself a treat
Breakfast is almost always a wise choice, but on Mondays especially so.
Perhaps on your way in, you’ll stop by a cafe and order your go-to breakfast sandwich. Alternatively, you could dedicate 20 minutes on Sunday evening to prepare a variety of vegetables for a filling breakfast omelette.
A healthy breakfast helps you stay energised as you ease back into your weekly grind and gives you something to look forward to in the morning.
Unplug for the weekend:
You should establish clearer boundaries between work and play if you’re experiencing Monday blues.
You’re putting yourself at risk for burnout if you spend your weekends frantically checking your email. You can break the habit by focusing on your personal time by unplugging from work-related issues and turning off your mail notifications on Fridays.
