Ten tips to beat the ‘Monday Blues’

Ah Monday! Mondays can be the most difficult transition (for some of us). Find out how you can beat those ‘Monday Blues’ and turn your Monday, into one of the most rewarding days of the week.

Early start – bad things happen when you are late, the tension level is high, you are in a rush, you don’t have time for breakfast, when you arrive at your office, people are shoving work into your face. It may seem like a punishment to wake up earlier on Monday but when you have enough time to organize yourself, you’ll feel like you can conquer the day easier.

Complete as much work possible on Friday – you’ll have less work to worry about on Monday.

Plan your day in small gentle steps – apply micromovements throughout the day. Divide your day into 1/2 – 1 hour chunks with a goal for each time unit.

Affirmative statements – “Today is a great day” or “I will complete my report today”. Stick positive messages around your monitor and take them seriously.

Buy something new for Monday – it doesn’t have to be big or expensive – a pen, a sketchbook, fancy post-it stickers. Monday can almost be like a birthday – get a present for yourself nearly every week.

Start working – the thing about work is, it’s usually not the work that makes us tired, it’s the thought of starting work that makes us procrastinate and go into a cycle of unproductivity. Quit thinking about starting work and just work instead!

Take short breaks – too much work can be overwhelming and when this happens, it is easy for you to give up. Remember to take short breaks to recharge. If your schedule allows it, you can also take a 10 minute nap after lunch.

Do not get distracted – Youtube, Facebook, personal emails. Once you allow yourself to get distracted you will be sucked into hours of time-wasting activities. If you don’t have the discipline to limit your distraction to 10 minutes, don’t attempt to do it at all.

This article was first published in the blog Growing Happiness.