8 Tips For A Better Monday
For “Thank God it’s Monday Day”, we are offering up 8 tips to help us all benefit from turning our Mondays around for the better!
Hopefully these tips can help to make it easier to make it through your day, make your Monday’s mean more, or even make Monday one of your favorite days of the week!
Tip 1 – Get More Sleep and/or Wake Up Early
These suggestions might, at first, sound contradictory, but getting a better nights sleep prior to the start of the week can help you feel better, more energized or more alert. Likewise, getting up earlier and easing into your day with time to spare, and no need to rush, could help to lessen feelings of stress. as a bonus, both getting more sleep and waking up early could help clear your mind of fog and give you more time to get your thoughts in order before hitting the grind.
Action Point: Stick to your Monday through Friday sleep routine over the weekend. Try waking up at your normal time (or within an hour of your normal time). According to experts, an unbalanced weekend sleep schedule throws our entire circadian rhythms out of whack. Experts say people don’t often consider how shocking our weekend habits can be on our bodies. Also, try avoiding big, heavy meals and excess alcohol or caffeine on Sundays (especially before bed!)
Tip 2 – When You Can Plan Ahead and Prepare, Do It
Loads of unfinished tasks, or lengthy to-do lists waiting for us on Monday morning can make the start of the week extra stressful, and make it challenging to jump back in where we left off. To combat anxiety or stress, don’t procrastinate. clear your schedule where you can before the weekend. Don’t let that black cloud hang over your Monday. Before you leave work on Friday, make sure your calendar is up to date and organized so you can be better prepared for the week ahead.
Action Point: Knowing that Mondays are traditionally busy, aim to keep your monday schedule light. Also, try creating a checklist, or set some goals on Sunday night for the week ahead, so that when Monday arrives, you can pace yourself and ease back into the week. this should help you to relieve any overwhelming stress.
Tip 3 – Treat Yourself To Something Special
When the weekend fun or relaxation is over, there’s nothing to look forward to at the start of the week. Many people treat this as a fact, but, there’s no unwritten rule book that says it has to be this way, you can flip the script! Come up with a fun tradition or small treat to kick off each week. This will give you something unique to look forward to.
Action Point: Treat yourself to an amazing breakfast. Eat your favorite food for lunch or dinner, or, better yet meet a pal for lunch or dinner on Monday. Pick up a caramel frappe or favorite snack at some point during the day. Dieting? Have a strict gym regimen? Try swapping your ‘cheat day’ or ‘skip day’ to Monday as another method of rewarding yourself.
Tip 4 – When it Comes to Attitude, Apply Perspective, Try and Stay Positive
It has been said that our thoughts determine our reality, and if we start our week out by channeling Garfield the cat’s catchphrase—”I hate Mondays”— actually having a good Monday will become a challenge. What’s more, society has trained us to think of mondays with dread, it’s almost part of popular culture. It turns out, our negativity surrounding Mondays can have a negative impact on both your performance and productivity, and that of those around you.
You may be sleepy, lack motivation, have a huge backlog of responsibilities, or even wore the wrong shoes on a rainy day, But no matter how bad your day is, it could definitely be worse. homelessness, deforestation, starvation, disease…There are a lot of horrible problems in the world, but it’s unlikely your Monday each and every week is among them.
Action Point: Make a list of the things you’re excited about in the coming week. Don’t dwell on the tough stuff you have on your schedule. Instead, try making a list of three things every Sunday night, that you are looking forward to in the week ahead. It could improve your outlook over time. Also, try and be positive. Start your week with an attitude of gratitude and take some time to recognize and appreciate the things that you enjoy about your work or weekday routine. Make a conscious effort to not complain. Try not to listen to other people’s gripes and don’t get involved. It won’t help your attitude or the attitude of those around you.
Tip 5 – Appearance “When You Look Good, You Feel Good”
You’ve probably heard that dressing for the role will help you perform better and inspire confidence. It’s been said that when you look good, you feel good! There may or may not be scientific studies behind this concept, but you’ve likely seen it have an effect on someone else, or maybe even experienced it yourself.
Action Point: Wear something new, dress in your favorite clothes, or add some accessories you love, anything that makes you feel like a million bucks. Also, if you can make it happen, wear something that makes you comfortable (not sweatpants comfortable). If you’re limited on choice of clothing style, try a color that makes you happy or a pattern that shares your spirit, and charisma.
Tip 6 – Make Plans to Change Your Plans
Most people hate Mondays because they equate it with being the farthest day away from fun. That’s only true if you allow it to be true. Have special a post-work plan for one day a week or make plans to meet a friend for an evening once a week. Mix up your schedule by doing something fun during the week that you’d usually reserve for the weekend. Wouldn’t it be great to gear up for a new week with some quality time, or a pep talk with a friend. it’s nice to have something fun and exciting to look forward to outside of our work week or our normal weekday routines.
Action Point: Pick a night of the week, Monday, (or better yet Wednesday) and schedule something fun to do with a friend or family member. It doesn’t have to cost a lot, or doesn’t have to last late into the evening. Visit a neighbor, hang with a friend you don’t work with, play a round of a board game, go have dinner, see a movie, or hop on a video game with some friends.
Tip 7 – Make Monday Better for Someone Else
Random acts of kindness have been proven to make you feel better and lift your spirits. There’s little debate, as there is positive psychology research to back it up! Even better, it’s surprisingly easy to do! Offer a compliment, an unexpected message of praise, a gift, or a kind gesture. Make a vow to do something nice for someone else or make someone else happy on Monday morning. It could be on the way to work, once you arrive, or while you’re out and about. It will make you feel good, it will make them feel good. It’s a win-win!
Action Point: Spread joy: take a few minutes to tell coworkers, customers or cashiers that you appreciate them, send someone a quick “you’re awesome” text, buy the next person in line a coffee, bring donuts to the office. If it would make you happy, then try doing it for someone else!
Tip 8 – Smile, You’ll Feel Better, or When All Else Fails, Fake it Till You Make It
Smile. This is something we should all try and do more often, no matter where we are. Remind yourself of opportunities to show someone that you’re in a good mood and that things aren’t so bad. Get the positive juices flowing. Flash them a smile and let them know that it’s nice to see them up and at it, attacking their day, just like you are!
If all else fails, then fake it until you make it.
Researchers have referred to this strategy “self-perception theory,” and some experts say that it really does work. Studies have shown that when people chose to walk with their head held high, their chest projected outward, and their arms swinging – they immediately feel happier!. Our actions determine our perceptions about ourselves, which can affect how we think and feel.
Action Point: Smile. Pretend you love Mondays, try and show it on your face and project it in your body language, It will likely help you, it might help others, and in the end you might just end up really liking or loving Mondays!
