Beating the Monday Blues

Do you often start the week feeling anxious, sad, or stressed? Do you feel demotivated or sluggish on Monday morning? If this describes you, then you probably have a case of the Monday Blues.

For many of us who work or study (or both), Mondays are rarely a cause for joy. As long as there are seven-day weeks, there is unfortunately no escaping Mondays. So here are some ways we can cheerfully and positively face this dread.

Disconnect on weekends.

Feeling burned out come Monday morning? This may be a sign that you need clearer boundaries between work and play. Turn off your email notifications over the weekend and unplug from any work-related problems to focus on personal time. This isn’t about neglecting your career; it just means setting aside time to recharge.

Dress for success.

Author Deborah Shane suggests that we “dress up, perk up, and show up ready to be positive and help others be positive.”

Even if you are working from home, make Monday an excuse to wear your favourite work outfit. Flexjobs founder Sara Sutton Fell says that when you look good, you feel good: “Feeling good about yourself is half of the battle on Monday mornings, because rather than being deflated by work, you want to face it with confidence.”

Give yourself a head start.

Is it Friday already? Great, then it’s time to prepare for Monday! This sounds like no fun at all, but piling up work from a previous week can be even less fun.

Combat your Monday anxiety by completing as many tasks as possible by Friday afternoon so you can give yourself a better start when the new week begins. Career coach Rita Friedman advises that you “make that uncomfortable phone call, resolve that outstanding issue, or clean up that mess” before the week ends. This way, you can get a better handle of the upcoming Monday.

Get an attitude of gratitude.

Not everything about work is doom and gloom, so try to appreciate the things you like about your job. Perk yourself up by listening to your favourite songs on your morning commute, or treat yourself to a gourmet cup of coffee to start the day. Also, don’t influence others with your Monday moods, and conversely, don’t get caught up in other people’s gripes. These simple things can help you turn the negative into the positive. This way, you can make your day more enjoyable, and even make the environment better for others too.

Get to the root of the problem.

If your Monday Blues turns into Tuesday or Wednesday Blues, then you might have a bigger issue at hand.

Counsellor Kathryn Ely explains that, “clinical depression is characterised as a persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities that causes significant impairment in daily life, for an extended period of time.”

This can also be accompanied by a chronic sense of hopelessness, irritability, restlessness, and sleep troubles. So while it’s normal to feel unhappy about Monday, your feeling of dread should not become excessive or affect other areas of your life. If it does, it may be time to seek professional help.

By Tengku Amina Munira