Kicking the Monday morning blues

Is Monday doomsday? Does your 7 o’clock start hit you like a falling meteor? Or does the morning just pass in a stomach-churning blur? Adeline Iziren, our award winning writer, offers a more cushioned start to the week

After a weekend spent drinking yourself into oblivion, shopping till you drop or partying all night long, the prospect of going into work on a Monday morning can make you feel rather ill.

Simon Haven, a 23 year-old marketing executive knows the feeling all too well. ‘I do have a good time on Friday and Saturday drinking with my friends. But by Sunday, I’m usually exhausted and hungover,’ he admits.

Monday, not surprisingly, is not his favourite day of the week. ‘I dread Monday mornings. Although I’ve usually got over my hangover, it’s having to readjust to getting up early and leaving the house early that I find difficult,’ he says.

Annya Ladakh, a stress consultant and clutter buster, has some answers for anyone suffering from Monday morning malaise.

‘Try and make sure you don’t have a late night on a Sunday, so that you have enough rest to conserve your energy for the next five days,’ she counsels. ‘And if you’re going to drink on a Sunday, drink very lightly.’

James Gladwin, a life coach and author of How to live the life you love and love the life you live (Bene Factum Publishing) reckons it will take more than a change of behaviour to help you beat the Monday morning blues. Sufferers need to change their attitude, he advises.

‘Because of social conditioning we tend to think, “Oh God it’s Monday” or “Thank God it’s Friday”,’ he explains. ‘It’s a good strategy for people to change the way they see Monday mornings and think through why this particular day of the week is so bad.’

Top tips for avoiding Mondays altogether:

  • Ask your boss if you can do a four-day week, starting on Tuesday
  • Set up your own business and declare Mondays your official duvet day
  • Get on a John Lewis graduate training programme – many stores close on Monday
  • Claim that since Thursday is the new Saturday, Sunday is the new Tuesday and Mondays can be bypassed altogether
  • Become a hairdresser, restaurateur or vicar

It’s not only a hectic weekend that can turn Monday mornings into a day you hate, but a lack of organisation. Have an early night on a Sunday. A late night and early morning start will sap your energy for a whole week never mind a day. And before you go to bed iron your clothes and pack your bag or brief case with whatever you will need for work. Then come Monday morning you will be ready for action.

For an even better Monday, start getting organised on Friday. ‘Try really hard to clear your desk,” suggests Annya. ‘If you haven’t been able to do it on a Friday, it’s worth going in on a Monday before anyone else arrives.’ Anna also recommends brightening up your surroundings on a Monday morning by placing fresh flowers on your desk.

It’s also worth drawing up a to-do list on a Friday. Then when you get into work on a Monday hit the ground running by doing one or two things on that list in the first hour. If you need to get motivated enlist the help of a colleague by telling what your tasks for the next 30 minutes are. Then report back with your progress. Communicating your plans to someone else has more power than if you make a mental note because you feel accountable, says James.

If you commute into work, why not make the most of this time by listening to some inspiring music. It certainly beats burying your head in a newspaper littered with bad news or staring at grey and moody passengers.

The impact of Monday morning blues can be devastating. More people have heart attacks on a Monday morning than any other day of the week according to medical research. So figure out what will help you beat the blues and stick to it.

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