Beat the Monday Morning Blues

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Beat the Monday Morning Blues

by Elaine Rogers on January 23rd, 2011
36 Comments

When I was in a 9-5 job in 1993, I distinctly remember arriving into work on Monday mornings and being subjected to complaints, grumbles, disdain, and other such negative gossip.

This was the only negative about my Monday mornings. In fact I never had Monday morning blues because I practiced a very simple alternative. Back then, in my early 20’s living and working in recession Ireland (yes, we had one then too) the general gist of good fun was to go out with colleagues and friends.

Traditionally this was done Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Three late nights of overindulgence was bound to take it’s toll, and it did. Coming from a college background, I had become accustomed to going out on “College nights” (aka Thursday nights). I maintained this routine and did not go out late on Sunday nights.

Of course this meant that Friday mornings were tough, but one cannot have Friday blues if they are off for the weekend, and have an early finish to look forward to. So I was therefore able to camouflage my blues into a Friday, rather than a Monday.

However, I feel the negative sentiment has remained with many people, whether they are employed, self-employed, or between jobs.

Why should we dread Monday Mornings? Because we have done so traditionally. For some of us, it’s simply always been that way (similar to finding it difficult to get up in the mornings).

Here are a couple of measures you can take to beat the Monday Morning Blues

1. Do not overindulge on a Sunday night, especially if you already have done so on Saturday night.

2. Review what tasks you typically do on a Monday morning. The preference is to start up the PC, go make a tea/coffee, and catch up with emails. Also answering phone queries. By the time you are ready to start your day, you already feel overwhelmed with the problems of the week. I suggest reversing this. Research has shown that the first 3 hours of your waking day are the most creative, so rather than wasting this creativity on looking at emails, use it productively to create; whether it’s a blog post, ToDo List, a MindMap, or updating your website or Social Media sites.
It’s also a great time to work on a project, or start a new project.

3. If you are self-employed, you can use Monday mornings to schedule your Blogging and SM activities. You can use the time to do your reading, research, tasks to work on the business, or simple tasks to ease you into the week. You are in control!

4. Schedule things you like doing for Monday mornings. So when you do have to use the alarm clock to drag you out of your warm bed, imagine the fun tasks you have set for yourself, knowing these tasks will be far more productive and fun than the usual drudgery.

5. Some like to dwell on the misery of Monday Mornings. However, the danger here is that is spills over into Monday afternoon, Tuesday, or possible setting a negative tone for the whole week. A change of mindset is sometimes needed to make the shift from dreading Monday mornings to actually looking forward to apply your inner power to drive your week forward.

It can be helpful to sit down and review what makes you cringe when you wake up every Monday morning. Is it pure habit? Is it negativity from spouse, colleagues, staff? Is it because you do the same thing every Monday morning, and you are simply bored?

Like everything, you are in control of how you feel about it. It’s time to put a spring in your step for 2011 and all the Monday mornings to follow. Try it out. Make a conscious effort next week to change your routine, or change your attitude about your Monday moaning, I mean morning!

Do you have a trick or treat to spring-start your week? Please share it with us below!

Category: Business expansion, entrepreneurship, Start-ups

Tags: blues, change, mindset, monday, morning, negative, new year, positive, seefin, Seefin Coaching

The Author: Elaine Rogers

Elaine Rogers is a Business Training & Development Specialist. She provides training and coaching in the areas of IT Skills, Business Skills, and Soft Skills. Elaine has just launched a new online training store at http://www.thesmarttrain.com that provides videos and workshops in the areas of IT, Business and Soft Skills. http://www.thesmarttrain.com

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http://twitter.com/fredchannel Fred

Brilliant post Paul! Still can’t stop laughing at: “I brewed a cup of tea from holy water and fed my black cat called lucky” Excellent…
I do not believe in luck either. I can’t live with the idea that, if I made everything possible to achieve a goal I would STILL depend, like you Lady on “Lady luck”. It doesn’t matter how hard you work, it would feel like asking for constant permission to get access to the good stuff in life, wouldn’t it?

Lotto tip: Paul, there’s no luck in this! It’s all about working harder on selecting the lucky, I mean winner numbers, that’s all!
Anonymous

Thanks for the comments Fred. We are singing from the same sheet. Thanks for the lotto tip. I guess this means I won’t be around on Monday as I will be in town doing a photo shoot and collecting my cheque

Here’s to a lucky weekend

P
http://www.btbtraining.com/blog Niall Devitt

Lol, Paul, great post! Very funny! I think the only type of luck that truly exists is your outlook. For instance, if everyone here changed their outlook tomorrow, the recovery would take a giant leap forward, don’t you think?
http://www.seefincoaching.com/blog Elaine Rogers

I am so lucky that I forget to do the lotto every week! Then I cannot credit Luck for my winnings, and only discredit myself for being forgetful.
But we all know that we don’t just simply forget things – we forget for a reason. So I will come across my winnings another way obviously (maybe Mairead has it under the Leprechaun’s pot of gold – http://tweakyourbiz.com/management/2010/07/08/lose-9-words-improve-your-results/ )
Anonymous

Thanks for the comments Elaine & Niall

@Niall – Yes I agree “expect good things to happen in the future” and “have a knack of transforming negative into positive”. Personally I can sense that the dark clouds are lifting for many people over the last few months. I agree that a double shot of positive outlook would get the party swinging sooner.
http://www.encouragingexcellence.ie/ Mairéad Kelly

Mmmm…maybe I have Elaine, lol. Great post Paul. I’m constantly astounded by the amount of people who limit themselves on so many levels and blame it on luck. There is a great quote I often see (I can’t remember who said it), “The harder I work, the luckier I get”.
http://www.cgonlinemarketing.com/ Christina Giliberti

Hi Paul,
You are now responsible for a huge grin after reading ; 0 )

On the film Titanic, a similar phase was uttered ‘A wise man makes his own luck’. We can turn situations to our advantage if we are prepared to think about them. Life is full of up’s and down’s, but it has always been my opinion that the ‘downs’ make the ‘up’s’ that much more meaningful.

I do believe in fate (does that count?). The world has a way of leading us to certain events….maybe its a test of our beliefs and strength, or maybe we all must follow an etched path – how we follow it, who joins us and our outlook/personality/experiences are our controlling devices…

Tina
Anonymous

Mairead & Tina – thanks for the nice comments. Glad you liked the post. Have a nice weekend!!

P
http://www.ivanwalsh.com Ivan Walsh

Hi Elaine, nnI spend 20 min on Friday planning the next week and then hit the ground running.nnRegards,nnIvann
Facundo

Actually going out on a Sunday (not necessarilly till late) is something that works for me Elaine. I do have to admit that I tend to fall in the traps of your point number 2
http://www.tweakyourbiz.com Niall Devitt

Hi Elaine, great post! I absolutely agree with not over indulging on a Sunday, instead try get out for some form of physical activity and don’t leave it too late to hit the hay.
http://www.seefincoaching.com/blog Elaine Rogers

Hi Ivan, for me to suggest that would have been another clichu00e9, on top of a few above nBut yes, I would recommend planning in advance, I am a great believer in preventative, rather than cure. Do the important things before they become too urgent etc. nnMany people do not have the insight to plan their week in advance. However, letting external circumstances dictate our time is one of the great flaws of time management, I mean self management. nnThanks for sharing what works for you
http://www.seefincoaching.com/blog Elaine Rogers

Hi Ivan, for me to suggest that would have been another clichu00e9, on top of a few above nBut yes, I would recommend planning in advance, I am a great believer in preventative, rather than cure. Do the important things before they become too urgent etc. nnMany people do not have the insight to plan their week in advance. However, letting external circumstances dictate our time is one of the great flaws of time management, I mean self management. nnThanks for sharing what works for you
http://www.seefincoaching.com/blog Elaine Rogers

Hi Ivan, for me to suggest that would have been another clichu00e9, on top of a few above nBut yes, I would recommend planning in advance, I am a great believer in preventative, rather than cure. Do the important things before they become too urgent etc. nnMany people do not have the insight to plan their week in advance. However, letting external circumstances dictate our time is one of the great flaws of time management, I mean self management. nnThanks for sharing what works for you
http://www.seefincoaching.com/blog Elaine Rogers

Hi Ivan, for me to suggest that would have been another clichu00e9, on top of a few above nBut yes, I would recommend planning in advance, I am a great believer in preventative, rather than cure. Do the important things before they become too urgent etc. nnMany people do not have the insight to plan their week in advance. However, letting external circumstances dictate our time is one of the great flaws of time management, I mean self management. nnThanks for sharing what works for you
http://www.seefincoaching.com/blog Elaine Rogers

Going out I have no problem with Facundo, but over indulgence is what causes lethargy, negative vibes, and lack of motivation in a physical, physiological and emotional sense.nnIf someone does not enjoy their work, or do not look forward to their week, are often the very ones to try and anesthetize their feelings. However, many feel they are not in a position to change that, due to varying circumstances,.nnWith regard to step 2, by changing one habit, we can change our whole week, I ensure I do not open the laptop, until minimum 2 hours after I awake. This allows time for breakfast, reading, creating or thinking (planning, imagining, supposing etc).nnThanks for reading and sharing what works for you n
http://www.seefincoaching.com/blog Elaine Rogers

Going out I have no problem with Facundo, but over indulgence is what causes lethargy, negative vibes, and lack of motivation in a physical, physiological and emotional sense.nnIf someone does not enjoy their work, or do not look forward to their week, are often the very ones to try and anesthetize their feelings. However, many feel they are not in a position to change that, due to varying circumstances,.nnWith regard to step 2, by changing one habit, we can change our whole week, I ensure I do not open the laptop, until minimum 2 hours after I awake. This allows time for breakfast, reading, creating or thinking (planning, imagining, supposing etc).nnThanks for reading and sharing what works for you n
http://www.seefincoaching.com/blog Elaine Rogers

Going out I have no problem with Facundo, but over indulgence is what causes lethargy, negative vibes, and lack of motivation in a physical, physiological and emotional sense.nnIf someone does not enjoy their work, or do not look forward to their week, are often the very ones to try and anesthetize their feelings. However, many feel they are not in a position to change that, due to varying circumstances,.nnWith regard to step 2, by changing one habit, we can change our whole week, I ensure I do not open the laptop, until minimum 2 hours after I awake. This allows time for breakfast, reading, creating or thinking (planning, imagining, supposing etc).nnThanks for reading and sharing what works for you n
http://www.seefincoaching.com/blog Elaine Rogers

Indeed Niall, often easier said than done nnAll in moderation, I say, all in moderation. Having a lazy Sunday or a late one is sometimes necessary, just to break the pattern, as we are creatures of habit. nnI feel it’s important to change one thing about our day or week on a regular basis, to ensure we do not fall into a state of “over-repetition”. But rest and fresh air are imperative for our survival, esp as Business Owners, in order to manage stress and anxiety levels nnGlad to hear you are looking after yourself well n
http://www.seefincoaching.com/blog Elaine Rogers

Indeed Niall, often easier said than done nnAll in moderation, I say, all in moderation. Having a lazy Sunday or a late one is sometimes necessary, just to break the pattern, as we are creatures of habit. nnI feel it’s important to change one thing about our day or week on a regular basis, to ensure we do not fall into a state of “over-repetition”. But rest and fresh air are imperative for our survival, esp as Business Owners, in order to manage stress and anxiety levels nnGlad to hear you are looking after yourself well n
http://www.seefincoaching.com/blog Elaine Rogers

Indeed Niall, often easier said than done nnAll in moderation, I say, all in moderation. Having a lazy Sunday or a late one is sometimes necessary, just to break the pattern, as we are creatures of habit. nnI feel it’s important to change one thing about our day or week on a regular basis, to ensure we do not fall into a state of “over-repetition”. But rest and fresh air are imperative for our survival, esp as Business Owners, in order to manage stress and anxiety levels nnGlad to hear you are looking after yourself well n
http://www.encouragingexcellence.ie/ Mairu00e9ad Kelly

Nice post Elaine. I’ve found that since I’ve been self-employed Mondays are a day I look forward to rather than dread. It helps with having to get a 7 year old out to school for 8.30am, then the rest of the morning is mine to get things done. nnOne thing I do is check me emails on Sunday to clear them out before Monday morning as there are less of them over the weekend, so anything that does come in is fresh and can be categorised rather than feeling like it has to be prioritised becasue it’s left over from Friday evening.
http://www.seefincoaching.com/blog Elaine Rogers

That’s a great idea for someone running their own business, thanks Mairead.nnI feel it is one of the obstacles to get over for those whose were used to being “employed” and becoming self-employed, to really believe they are in control of everything that happens in their business – it can be difficult to get used to for some.
Greg Canty – Fuzion

Well done Elaine – a great article.. as it turns out this Monday is quite good!!nnCheers,nnGreg
Greg Canty – Fuzion

Well done Elaine – a great article.. as it turns out this Monday is quite good!!nnCheers,nnGreg
http://www.encouragingexcellence.ie/ Mairu00e9ad Kelly

I like that quote. Like you said it only takes a mindset shift to change that attitude and it gets easier with practice. Sometimes my “weekend” happens mid-week depending on my schedule.
http://www.encouragingexcellence.ie/ Mairu00e9ad Kelly

I like that quote. Like you said it only takes a mindset shift to change that attitude and it gets easier with practice. Sometimes my “weekend” happens mid-week depending on my schedule.
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http://www.seefincoaching.com/blog Elaine Rogers

Well that’s great news Greg Thanks for reading and best wishes with your own tribulations
Adrian

Hi Elaine,nnGreat article. This is so true. Also it is easy to get dragged into the doom and gloom on a Monday morning (or maybe even any day at the moment). Sometime you need to stop for a moment and maybe put a little distance between your self and the “glass half empty” folks and put a smile on your face and get on with it.
http://www.seefincoaching.com/blog Elaine Rogers

Thanks kindly for stopping by and sharing your comments Adrian.nnA glass is only half full, on it’s way to being full. I have had direct experience of allowing negative people affect my thoughts, and the opposite also. I know which kind I will pick in future.nnSometimes we even need to stop and put a little distance between us and our business/job, just to allow different perspectives to enter the mindset, thereby presenting us with more options nnHave a great week! ~ we are nearly half there nn
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http://www.blackcatsearching.co.uk/ blackcatsearching

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I think so. I think your article will give
those people a good reminding. And they will express thanks to you later
http://goodrelaxation.com/ Lucia Mat

Hello
Great post, thanks. One simple tip is to clean your desk on Friday, right before you end your day. It takes only five minutes but makes me always happy on Monday morning, when I go back to work.
Best Regards
Lucia Mat
http://www.smartsolutions.ie/blog/ Elaine Rogers

Hi Lucia,
thanks for sharing your simple and effective tip, so please you have found ways to improve your mood on Monday mornings
Elaine

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