Five Hacks to Make Mondays Your Best Work Day

by Tochi Eze

It starts with heart palpitations the night before Monday. You are out for drinks with your friends, arguing over third world problems. And then, slowly, you feel the growing tension in your chest. You ask for extra chicken wings, (because food always helps). Then you raise your voice slightly over the conversation. Still, the feeling of dread does not lift. It is not anxiety, depression, or even the fact that you are about to become broke from these social hangouts. It is simply your mind, wildly and frantically adjusting itself for another Monday!

Yes, Monday with its early and vicious start, your alarm wheezing itself into your dreams. Monday, with the work horrors of last week waiting comfortably on your desk. Monday, with the meeting with your supervisor, whose email you conveniently ignored all through the weekend. And then, all the small cues your body gives to you: headaches, backaches and the very familiar feeling of corporate fatigue.

Another Way?

Yes, yes, you love your job. But another day in the weekend won’t exactly destroy the world, would it? Precisely! However, since that is still a pipe dream, we are stuck with Mondays and all its recycled motions. But what if there was a way to make the bite less sharp? There may be no outright answers, but I have a  few tips that can help make Monday appear less dreadful.

Make Fridays Count

It’s normal to feel tired as the weekend approaches and to mentally begin to ready yourself for the weekend. But a productive Friday is the secret to a happy Monday. Finish your weekly tasks as much as you can. Anticipate the needs of your department or team. Clear up your desk. Tick off your deadlines and, if you must, don’t hesitate to stay an extra hour or two in the office. Starting the next week at a calm and measured pace will make that worth it.

Make Your Weekend a Sanctuary

Somehow, there is always someone getting married on the weekend, some social activity or family engagement that feels compulsory. Remember that weekends are your personal ‘me time’ to recalibrate. Your body/mind will be more likely to start the new week well when sufficiently rested. So be sure to fit in more hours of sleep. Maybe get a spa treatment. Try not to fix too much into two (really fast moving) days.

Trick Your Mind

You can train your mind to look forward to Mondays by deliberately fixing a treat for your Monday lunch. Or fixing something you absolutely love on Monday (like movies in the evening). This way, regardless of the dread, you subconsciously look forward to Monday.

Hold Every Day Sacred

Every day can be beautiful if you have the right perception of it. Think about each Monday as just another day to embrace new opportunities. Imagine your goals as stepping stones to the future you have always wanted. Consider being thankful to have something to look forward to or wish to run away from. Celebrate your life even when it seems riddled with hard work and crazy traffic. If you have the right view of the world, you will be able to confront almost anything.

Finally …

Consciously remember that you can do anything! You are smart, strong and intelligent. You can survive the whirlwind of work,  You have value to offer, unique gifts to serve others, and Monday is just another day to make a difference in the world.

So, go out there and do your thing. Have a great Monday!