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Ever felt like using the time machine on a Monday morning? Like you just want to go back in time to relive the weekend over and over again or maybe just stay in bed all day? Maybe you wish you were more productive on Sunday and prepared for the week ahead better? Well, that means you’ve been hit by Monday blues and trust me, it’s not the kind of feeling you’d want to have, but there are some easy ways to beat the Monday blues.
It’s awful when you’ve got a lot to do, and if you’re not careful, it could roll over to the rest of the week, making it a pretty dreadful and unproductive week. Having Monday blues isn’t just an office thing as most people think it is, students with an early morning class on a Monday could also tell better tales!
Well, I’m here to help you get those Monday doldrums over with. Below are 25 ways to beat the Monday blues.
1. Identify the problem
The first solution to solving a problem is to identify what the problem is. Find out whether what you call Monday blues is really what it is and nothing more. When you experience this kind of feeling almost every morning, it can be due to some other factors such as losing interest in what you do or depression, and in this case, it’s advisable you see a therapist as quickly as possible.
2. Be an early bird
You’ve probably heard the saying “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man wealthy and healthy.” It’s not just something we say to sound wise, it’s actually very true. Going to bed early enough saves you that cranky feeling in the morning. It helps your body get the rest it needs and gives you a refreshing feeling in the morning. Getting enough rest during the night also means you can get up earlier and plan for the day ahead.
3. Have a plan
Learn to map out your schedule and activities appropriately before you go to bed on Sunday night. It gives you a sense of responsibility and helps you shake off any form of laziness lingering around. Starting a day without proper planning and scheduling of tasks is like trying to locate a house with no address or directions!
4. Discard the excess
You have to admit that there’s no do-it-all personality in this world. Forget what you see in the movies, there’s only so much one person can handle at a time. Try using a self evaluation check to see if you’ve been biting off more than you can chew lately. That might be responsible for the weariness you often feel on Mondays.
Sometimes, when you’re caught up with heavy workload, chances are you start feeling blue, bored, and worn out. So, do away with unnecessary tasks and assignments and you’ll be just fine. If you know you’ve got a lot to do on Monday, you could do some of these tasks on Friday or other days of the week. You can also start with the simplest assignments and tasks. This will reduce the pressure you might be feeling.
5. Manage your time well
If you’ve got a lot of multi tasking to do, you can make use of apps like Dropbox, Google Calender, MLO, and Remember The Milk. This way, you won’t have to worry about how your day is going to be, forgotten tasks or arranging meetings. You get to be always right on time. That alone will make you smile because you will feel like a superhuman, and a pretty smart one too.
6. Adopt a self-evaluation routine
Don’t forget to do an evaluation check a day before. It’s like crossing your t’s and dotting your i’s just before you submit your answer scripts to the examiner. A little bit of reflection on the past week’s event and thorough self evaluation will help you make sure you’re not caught off guard. It will also help you avoid doing efficiently, what you ought not to have done at all.
7. Do away with anxiety
Discard thoughts that convey worries and anxieties. The thought of how strenuous and busy your schedule is going to be is enough to give you a gloomy face and a cranky feeling. Another thing is that worrying and being anxious will only add to the problem. 90% Of people who get nervous and anxious about tasks hardly accomplish those tasks.
After all, worrying cannot change anything, it won’t make your job better, or your salary higher! So discard those worries and get on with what has to be done. You’re on your way to having a great day!
8. Beware of Friday’s procrastination
Avoid leaving out work on a Friday with the mindset of completing it the next working day. You might just want to pass out at the sight of your undone work on your desk, and this almost always results in a foul mood. You sure don’t want to start your week on a bad note. Don’t forget, procrastination is a thief of time, a very seductive thief!
9. Prepare your mind
Don’t be oblivious of the fact that every new week comes with new challenges, tasks and responsibilities. Having your mind prepared for that keeps you quick on your feet and helps you brace up to challenges, rather than feeling dejected when you come across them. Don’t be caught off guard!
10. Beat the phone-first habit
Yes, you read that right. Most people have the habit of checking their phone first thing after they wake up. You get to surf through multiple apps and social media platforms within minutes after you get up from bed. The chances of getting texts from a nagging partner, fake and usually dejecting news from the internet, or comments of clout-chasers on the pictures you took during the weekend, to mention a few, are very high. Those things will get to you and the feeling of dejection and discouragement quickly sets in. Please avoid that.
11. Avoid phone alarms
Now I know this sounds absurd, especially in 2020, but allow me to convince you otherwise. Make sure you get yourself a proper alarm clock. Not only does using your phone as an alarm clock stop you from sleeping on time, it also makes using your phone the first thing you’d want to do in the morning. That is exactly what you should avoid if you want to beat the Monday blues.
12. Welcome motivation
Motivation? It comes in really handy on a Monday morning. It has a way of gearing us up, encouraging us to do better, and be at our best in all that we do. Take out time to listen to motivational talks and look up inspirational quotes when you wake up in the morning, on your way to work or class and during the day when you’re experiencing a bit of a burnout. Yes you can! (So…that was my attempt at being motivational.)
13. Talk to someone
Some basic researches have proven that talking to someone about your challenge(s) helps ease the tension and nervousness you feel. Hearing their voice, words of reassurance and advice will make you feel a lot better.
So next time you feel some crankiness on a Monday morning, you should try talking to someone who understands you, e.g., your colleague, classmate, mentor or even a loved one. Remember, a problem shared is a problem half solved.
14. Hit the gym
Research has not only shown that having a morning workout helps you feel energized and prepared for the day’s business, it has also proven to be a source of stress relief. Try doing a morning workout just before you hit the showers. Be careful not to overdo it to avoid fatigue and tiredness.
15. Thou shalt not skip breakfast!
Make sure you have a hearty breakfast before setting out in the morning. Having a good breakfast increases your energy levels, and reduces your cravings and appetite for food during the day. You don’t want to be weakened or distracted by hunger while you’re having a presentation in the boardroom or the classroom, whatever the case may be.
16. Go for H2O!
Water helps you regulate your body temperature, keeps you hydrated and gives you a refreshing feeling (but you probably already know this). People tend to take coffee and other caffeinated drinks in the morning. On the contrary, doctors and nutritionists recommend that we take more of water than a cup of coffee. Intake of coffee and other caffeinated drinks increases dehydration in the human body, water does the opposite.
The human body functions with water, not drinking enough of it could be detrimental to your physical and mental well being, and you need good health to perform well in the activities of the day. When you’re feeling blue on a Monday, it might be as a result of dehydration. So when next you get out of bed, or when you’re feeling blue during the day, grab a cup/bottle of water and drink!
17. Smile
It’s no news that it takes about 43 muscles to wear an angry and gloomy face and it takes much fewer muscles to wear that beautiful and charming smile on your face. So when next you’re feeling the Monday blues, do the needful. Start your day by counting your blessings with a nice smile.
18. Music heals the soul
“Music provides healing for the soul.” This saying is accurate.
Listening to music while you’re getting set and on your way to work in the morning truly is therapeutic and will go a long way in helping you beat down the Monday blues. However, make sure you select the right genre of song, you don’t want to be listening to a slow beat song after a broken heart. I have a friend who listens to The Greatest by Sia every morning, and I can tell you he seldom nags about all the work he has on his plate.
19. Make no room for laziness
Do you know having a lazy mind could result in having Monday blues? Well, if you want to be successful in your career, attain your goals and aspirations, then you have to get up, quit being lazy and do what is required. Rome was not built in a day. It takes hard work, consistency and discipline to be successful.
20. Do your favorites
When a friend is having a foul and cranky mood, you may buy him/her a scarf of their favorite color, or take them out for lunch at their favorite restaurant. Well, show yourself some love by doing the same when next you feel blue. Wear your favorite 3-piece grey suit, and pack your favorite food for lunch.
21. Take a deep breath
How about taking a short walk and visiting the nearest aquarium for some minutes when you’re feeling blue and choked up during the day? When you start feeling weary and pressured with work, tasks and assignments, kindly take out time to relax and take a deep breath. You’ll find it very helpful.
22. Do something new
Feeling the Monday blues might be as a result of boredom from stereotypical routines. This is understandable due to the fact that man as a social being is used to change, and when we do the same thing for a long time, we get bored easily. You can include a new activity in your daily schedule to break your daily routine.
23. Avoid late-night hangouts on Sunday
Make sure you don’t fix a movie or karaoke night out with your homies on a Sunday night. Attending night parties and going out late on a Sunday can lead to having a bad hangover on a Monday morning. And you know what happens next.
24. Make Sundays work-free
Ensure you extricate yourself from any type or form of stress on Sundays. When you overwork yourself on Sundays, you tend to carry over that exhaustion to the next day, making it hard to perform well and be at your best during the day.
25. Rest and sleep
Give your body the adequate rest it needs. Lack of sleep at night results in drowsiness, slow stimuli response and slows down your thought processes. To avoid being caught napping during work hours or dozing off during that physics class, make sure your body gets enough sleep and rest. It ensures mental and physical alertness, your thought processes function better and it prevents your body clock being disrupted.
Monday doesn’t have to be the worst day of the week. Try out these simple ways to beat the Monday blues and you’d be surprised at how much more you’ll look forward to Monday, not dread it!
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