Having the Monday Blues is one of the most common complaints among adults. It’s actually considered normal to feel that ‘blah’ feeling when you wake up on Mondays when another work week is about to begin.
While it is a common complaint, there are plenty of ways to beat the Monday Blues – thank goodness! From reviewing their diet to how their weekends are spent, anyone can look at their lifestyles and make simple adjustments to begin their weeks off with the best foot forward.
I compiled a list of the 12 most popular ways that people can beat the Monday Blues.
What Are the Monday Blues?
The Monday blues are a dreaded feeling that most adults feel from one time to another. In fact, chances are good that you probably know the feeling.
You wake up on Monday morning with an unexplainable dread. The sky seems a little darker, you feel a little more tired, and everything just feels sort of… blah.
Essentially, the Monday blues represent that emotion of the start of another week and you are NOT feeling good about it.
How To Beat the Monday Blues
Luckily, the Monday Blues is completely curable. There are plenty of ways to beat this negative feeling and start the week off with more pep in your step.
Identify why You Get the Monday Blues
If you wake up every Monday morning with that blah, unmotivated feeling, it’s time to look at why that seems to happen.
Do you need to go into a job that you despise? Is the house a complete disaster after a weekend of fun? What is it exactly that creates the Monday Blues?
Once you know what the root cause is, then you can begin to make changes to stop it from even starting.
If you hate Mondays because every single pot and pan is dirty, make it a priority on Sunday nights to get it done so you wake up to a sparkling kitchen. If you feel irritated each Monday because you have to go back into a job that you dislike, maybe it’s time to begin a job hunt (you can always check out how to make money from blogging – it’s my all time favorite way to work from home!).
I know for me personally, it’s going to a day job that I hate. While I’m pretty close to making a full time income from blogging, living in Southern California is expensive and I’m not quite there.
There are plenty of options out there if you’re not happy with your job! Check out Leave Your 9-5 for tons of options for making money at home.
Look at your sleeping routine
If you make the choice to stay up super late on Friday and Saturday night, it will mess with your sleep cycle. When that happens, trying to jump back into your sleeping routine on Monday morning can leave you feeling less than great.
A sleep cycle reset, like the one you might be doing on Mondays, can be a major cause of the Monday Blues.
Alcohol Consumption
If you, like many adults, save your alcohol consumption for the weekends and go overboard, the hangover can take up to 24 hours to set in. Think about it, if you go all out on Saturday night then that means you can wake up as late as early Monday dehydrated and unwell.
We all know that feeling and it can leave you with a case of the serious Monday Blues.
Did you disconnect over the Weekend?
The Monday Blues can be a sign sometimes that we didn’t take the time to disconnect over the weekend. Think about it, were you checking emails on the way to your kid’s soccer game? What about processing orders after everyone goes to sleep?
If you don’t take time for yourself and your family when the time is there, then Mondays become much more difficult. You need to use the weekend to refuel, not to keep running on fumes.
make sure you’re taking time to do a social media detox as well as just disconnecting – it will help leave you totally refreshed!
Prepare for Monday on Friday
Instead of using Friday afternoon to lounge around and skate into the weekend, make a priority to catch up on things so that Mondays can feel a little lighter. Think about it- would you rather start Monday knowing that this super important spreadsheet has to get done or head into work knowing that it’s already done?
Get into the habit of preparing for Monday on Friday so that you are ready to hit the ground running on Monday. I always do this and feel so much better going into the weekend too!
Change your Mindset
Mondays are the start of a brand-new week and an opportunity to start something new- so treat it that way! When you wake up and you are full of the Monday Blues, take a moment to reset your mind.
This is one of the habits of successful people, so take your cues from them!
Instead of feeding into the negative ideas that Mondays are the worst, change the narrative. By simply refusing to believe the lies that the day will be awful and telling yourself positive truths, you can beat the Monday Blues and start the week off on the right foot.
Try on of these 10 ways to challenge yourself – when you challenge yourself to be better, it makes you feel better! You also want to learn how to appreciate the simple joys of life – this can help you feel happier.
Avoid Overscheduling on Mondays
I try my best to keep Monday mornings light and airy so that I can start the week off with my best foot forward. That means I make it a priority to not schedule things like 9 am meetings, dentist appointments, or running to the grocery store for milk.
Make it a priority to avoid overscheduling on Mondays and you might find that the Monday Blues float away.
Talk about Your Worries with Someone You Trust
If you find that when Mondays come you can’t seem to beat the Monday Blues, it might be time to talk it out with someone you trust. It could be a parent, your partner, or a close friend.
They might be able to help you identify what is causing these difficult moods and provide solutions for it.
For example, the boyfriend and I talk about how we feel about the workdays and what we can do to help each other out. Talking about our future goals and plans helps up both feel better about facing the week!
And when anxiety just starts to take over, these deep breathing exercises can help you too.
Plan Something Fun
Sometimes the best cure for a rough Monday morning is knowing that you have something to look forward to. It may be planning a vacation, a trip to the zoo, or even a manicure for later in the day.
Having something fun to look forward to can help you change that negative mindset into something that is more positive.
Treat Yourself
When I know that I have a rough day ahead of me, I try to budget in an extra treat or two to help get rid of any blahs that I might be feeling. For me, that’s a vanilla oat milk latte from the local coffee house and maybe a gluten free bagel.
For you, it could be something completely different. Maybe you schedule a workout at your favorite Pilates studio or order a new audiobook for your commute. Luckily there are plenty of cheap ways to pamper yourself.
Having a little treat to look forward to can help beat the Monday Blues and make it one of the best days ever.
Look at Your Nutrition
When you eat better, you feel better. Fueling your body is one of the most essential ways that we can control our attitudes. If you find that you are getting the case of the Monday Blues every single week, your body might be lacking some nutrients.
No matter your budget, you can make healthy eating a priority to help make Monday mornings run smoother.
Wake up Earlier
Here me out here – I know it can sound crazy but waking up 15-20 minutes earlier on a Monday can be one of the most beneficial habits for a great week. That little bit of extra ‘me time’ can help you set intentions for the week, change any negative attitudes, and start your week off on the best foot.
Set your alarm for a little bit earlier next Monday! See the difference- you’ll thank me for it!
Have Fun at Work
Sometimes the best way to cure your own Monday Blues is to help cure the entire office’s Monday Blues. Doing something as simple as facilitating a quick game during the Monday Morning meeting, bringing donuts, or even sending around a fun video to your team can help everyone beat the Monday Blues.
As we all know, happiness is contagious. If you bring your best mood in on Mondays, it will spread in no time.
In Summary
The Monday Blues are one of the most frustrating moods to overcome. No matter how irritating it can be, it isn’t uncommon. Learning to take steps to improve yourself every day can be a big help too.
Most adults deal with feeling that ‘blah’ mood when they start the workweek from time to time and, luckily, there are plenty of ways to help cure those Monday Blues.
What are some ways that you try and beat the Monday Blues? Leave a comment below and let me know!
I love my job, but it can be so hard for me to get into work mode after the weekend. It feels like I haven’t had enough rest. And here’s another Monday and I’m not in a work regime at all:)
There are some other tips here. My super challenging Monday started today with a workout and a healthy breakfast, and I don’t plan on having any slacking off in my routine from here on out. Hopefully, I’ll get rid of the Monday Blues this time around.
I totally get it! Having a schedule is so important to keep you motivated!