Most of us might have been working from home for a while now, but the old same challenge remains: how to wake up gracefully on Monday and stay off the blues?
Relax, you’re not the only person disliking the first day of the week. For most employees, Monday is definitely not welcoming. Monday means returning back to a stressful work week after a lazy, relaxing weekend. No wonder, Monday blues is a prevalent issue in workplaces. The truth is, your antipathy to Monday could be a red flag signal that something is not going well at work.
When you are engaged in what you are doing, you will always showcase the same spirit every day. It doesn’t really matter if it’s Monday or Friday, because every new day means a new opportunity to gain a new sense of achievement. However, if you wake up on a Monday morning groaning and feeling depressed having to go to work, then this might be an unconscious indication that you are unsatisfied with your job. When you feel under-appreciated, it could be quite difficult to get started for another frantic work week.
The case of Monday Blues can negatively affect your performance and productivity. When you’re feeling blue at work, you can barely drag your feet to the home office. For the rest of the day, you might feel less motivated, less engaged, less creative, and eventually, less productive. Follow these steps and welcome Monday with the same pleasure as a Friday evening:
See: Telecommuting: Absent Workers, Productive Office?
What actually makes you dread Monday? You might laugh it off when Monday Blues occur once or twice in a while. But if you feel the blues for most weeks, then there must be something wrong at work. Rather than letting the sadness eat you up, you should identify the root cause of the problem and fix it immediately.
The weekend doesn’t mean you have to stay up late. On a Sunday night, make sure to hit the bed early and gear up for the new work week with 7-9 hours of good sleep. If you follow this suggestion, you will feel refreshed on a Monday morning, and welcome the new day with a smile.
Relax! Don’t get fired up and get down to your to-do list the minute you log into the computer on a Monday morning. Take time to warm up. Rather, you can spend the early minutes of the day having a chit-chat with your co-workers, catch up on light gossips of happenings during the weekend, take a deep breath, and do a little exercise at your desk. These will help you ease your mind and set a better mood.
It is no secret that music helps boost moods. Therefore, plug into your earphones and play your favorite songs. However, you might need to avoid slow-beat and melodramatic songs, while choosing dynamic and upbeat ones that will pump up your heart rate instead.
Look around your cubicle. Is it comfortable and representative enough to work? Are there documents scattered here and there? A cluttered environment contributes to increased stress levels, so ensure that your workplace is organized and looks clean before you get started with positive clarity.
As the old adage goes, ‘Fake it until you make it’. Even if you might feel unhappy on Monday, lift your chin and put on your best smiles. Greet everyone ‘good morning’ with a smile, as this will lighten up the moods of your coworkers as well, who are not so happy about welcoming Monday either.
If you find it difficult to love Mondays no matter what, maybe it is time for you to move on and change jobs. A positive mindset is what helps you get through the week and avoid dreading Mondays. Turn off the blues and get prepped for an exciting work week ahead with loads of positivity and a warm smile.
Read also: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow Work Space: Which One Do You Belong?
