Six ways to get over the Monday Blues and have a great week

“I hate Mondays.” This is a common sentiment across the globe among the workforce followed by feelings of dread, anxiety and/or overwhelmed at the thought of reporting to work on Monday.

However, this need not be the case. Since most of our grown-up life is spent working, it is important to turn this around and, instead of dragging our feet to work, we walk in heads held high, ready to work.

Below are ways which will help you get over the Monday Blues and have a great week.

1. Get some rest over the weekend

One of the best ways to prevent the Monday Blues, I discovered, was to ensure that I am well rested come Monday. As such, I schedule time for a nap on my days off and actually take the time to sleep and not watch YouTube or scroll through Instagram. When I started doing this, I noticed that I am more energetic come Monday.

2. Stick to your routine

I once read an article about routines of successful women and it said that if you’ve trained yourself to sleep and wake up at a certain time during the week, you should do the same over the weekend. Even though the weekend is essentially for relaxing, sticking to your routine will reduce the amount of adjusting you need to make on Monday, eliminate sleep deprivation and keep your body functioning optimally. As for the nap that I mentioned above, I schedule this in my day and, instead of sleeping the whole morning, I wake up at my usual time and then take the nap later.

3. Eat well

We have seen that a healthy diet helps keep you alert. Eating a diet rich in sugars and fats makes your body lethargic making it harder to bounce back come Monday. Even if you do indulge in a richer meal over the weekend, ensure to eat a similar, if not larger, portion of fruit and vegetables and drink plenty of water.

4. Exercise

Just like your diet and sleeping habits, exercising also affects your brain’s functioning. Since you have more time over the weekend, do a longer workout. Walk to places that you would usually drive to, especially if they are within reach. Keep your body active and consequently, your brain won’t feel as sluggish come Monday.

5. Actually switch off work

It can be tempting to carry work home or check your emails during the weekend. This is counter-productive and won’t give you the chance to unwind and recharge and it could lead to burnout. Give your brain the time it needs to relax by avoiding work-related tasks unless it is absolutely necessary. If you have a major task on Monday and prepare the Friday before you leave and give yourself 30 minutes on Sunday to ensure you got everything set. Write down what you're looking forward to in the week ahead and focus on that instead of what you're dreading.

6. Note down your goals and accomplishments.

According to Forbes, if you love your job then you will look forward to Mondays and not dread them. One way of falling in love with your job is if it is elevating you closer to your goals.

At the beginning of every week, review your goals and note down your accomplishments. Evaluate if your current job is helping you achieve your goals or taking you further from them. In the long run, you will be able to determine whether or not you need to look for a job that is closer to your goals reducing the chances of Monday Blues.