Do you ever think, “Today is such a Monday”?
Mondays have become synonymous with terrible days. Not only is it the end of the weekend (your happy time), it’s the start of the week, so you have to get through a full five days before the next weekend.
That Mondays suck isn’t surprising, but if they suck a lot every week, there might be something else at play.
What is Monday blues?
Monday blues is such a widespread phenomenon in the workplace. Something about the start of the work week sometimes translates to dread, apprehension, anxiety, or maybe just a lack of excitement or passion.
It’s as if we’ve internalized that what comes with work is more likely to be stress or frustration than the opposite, which is what work should be.
This feeling is perfectly justifiable sometimes:
- If you’re back from a great holiday, getting back in the groove of things is painful.
- If you have a period of high stress, where your tasks and to-dos are growing with no limit.
- If there’s a particular situation you’re dreading but know you can’t avoid.
In those cases, it’s a temporary feeling. It’s because of a specific situation or circumstance that will blow over with time.
Sometimes though, they’re a red flag.
1. Ask yourself: Why do Mondays suck?
It’s easy to think that Monday blues are just part of life.
Even those of us who are extremely lucky and privileged with the jobs that we have, in that we have a stable income, we work in a secure environment, and we work with people we like, have this feeling at least some of the time.
Not wanting to work sometimes is normal. Maybe your job is starting to feel a little too routine, and nothing particularly exciting is happening right now. Maybe you’d much rather spend your time doing something else.
If your Mondays suck all the time, it could mean that:
- You’re unhappy with your job.
- A holiday is long overdue.
- Your stress levels are getting out of control.
2: Can I change it?
Understanding where that feeling comes from will help you figure out what to do.
- If you’re struggling with stress, you can manage your emotions better.
- If you need a holiday, take one!
- If a big change is coming up and you’re worried about it, prepare for it.
- If your tasks at work aren’t fulfilling or exciting enough, talk to your boss and see if there are any additional responsibilities you can take on.
- If you’re dreading one particular conversation, maybe it’s worth biting the bullet and having that conversation so you can move on.
Treat it as a chance to improve your relationship with work, even if it’s in a small way. If you can’t do anything that will change it, then think about your mindset.
3: How can I change my mindset?
Negativity begets negativity.
Work can be extremely fulfilling and rewarding under the right circumstances. No job, even if it’s the best job you can ever hope for, will always be that for you.
It’s worth focusing on the things you get out of work, especially when you’re stressed out or not excited by it. Maybe it teaches you how to interact with people in a way you never would’ve been able to. Maybe it forces you to pick up skills and develop yourself in ways you couldn’t foresee. Maybe it’s just nice to have something to do and to be productive .
Think about how your job has helped you. Find something about it that you look forward to, even if it’s something small.
Written on a Monday, in the pursuit of self-reflection.