Mondays are inevitable. It’s not a mere transition from playtime to work and school.
Many of us stay up later on weekend nights and sleep in during the day, messing up our sleep cycle making us irritable when the alarm goes off on Monday morning.
Fortunately, you can reverse the trend and set yourself up to have a positive, healthy start to the week with a few tips.
Start the week on the right foot
One of the simplest ways to make your Monday suck less is by starting the day positively. Instead of grabbing your phone as soon as your eyes open, take a deep breath, and practice mindfulness. Replace the negative thoughts with positive ones, like what you’re grateful and excited for. If you didn’t know, gratitude is a must.
Greet your team and boss
This is important to do first thing every morning to keep high morale and it’s particularly valuable, as your team needs a special boost because you may spend a few minutes with your colleagues on Monday mornings. It also reinforces a sense of purpose and community for everyone, including you.
Make a Monday to-do list on Friday
The end of the week may be cause to celebrate, but don’t make it official until you’ve written a to-do list for Monday. Everything you need to accomplish next week will be top of mind, so it makes sense to capture it at this time. If you start the week without this list, you’ll have to brainstorm on Monday morning about the lingering projects from last week.
With this list waiting on Monday, you may be more productive and have an easier time focusing.
Rethink breakfast
Eating a satisfying breakfast will allow you to feel appropriate hunger and fullness signals throughout the day. You dont have to eat immediately upon rising, the biggest misconception people have about breakfast. If you get up at 6 a.m, you may not feel hungry then, wait until you do, and then eat breakfast.
Wear a feel- good outfit
You know you feel better in clothes you like, then use clothing to improve negative emotions. To better your mood, choose bright colors, your favorite fabrics or prints, or a sustainable brand you feel great about. Much better yet, pick out your outfit the night before so you avoid a wardrobe crisis Monday morning.
Create a morning ritual
Our brains love routine. Routines are also a great way to conserve energy for more complicated parts of the day and may give you some alone time. You have more control over your attitude for the day so tap into adopting an activity or habit that puts you in a good mood and that you look forward to. With something pleasant built into your morning schedule, you’ll likely feel a little less dread and a little more positivity when the Monday alarm buzzes.
Plan for fun
An easy way to turn Mondays around is to make them the day you commit to fun plans for later in the week. Schedule a night out with friends, a meet-up, or plan to watch of your favorite show. Thinking about the good times in store for you later in the week will be an instant boost for your mind.
You’re going to do something social this week, so plan that out now and don’t say yes to anything that pops up outside of those plans. Don’t leave a huge window of time open for other people to fill.
Do a random act of kindness
Put positive energy into the world and you’ll get it back, research confirms. As you start your day, look for ways to perform a random act of kindness, whether for a coworker, your neighbor, or a stranger. Bring coffee to a colleague, text a friend you haven’t talked to in a while, or make a small donation to a shelter or environmental cause.
Clear your desk and desktop
Hopefully you already did this before you left on Friday but if you didn’t, get this out of the way, or you might add to Monday stresses.
Organize and prioritize your files. Put aside unimportant paperwork, and keep critical files easily accessible. You want to be prepared when you, your boss, or colleagues need something at the last minute.
Make Monday your favorite day
What do you like about Mondays? Nothing? Then do something about it! Don’t just try to survive the first day of the week, look for something that will put a smile on your face in the evening. This can be a special meal you cook at home, an episode of your favorite TV show or a date with your friends or family. Try to find something to look forward to so you can beat the Monday blues and turn it into your favorite day of the week!