Is Monday your doomsday? Does your 7 o'clock start hit you like a
falling meteor? Or does the morning just pass in a stomach-churning blur?
After a weekend spent drinking yourself into oblivion, shopping till you drop or
partying all night long, the prospect of going to office on a Monday morning
can make you feel rather ill.
There's actually a scientific explanation behind those dreaded Monday morning
blues. Our internal clocks naturally operate on a day that is longer than 24
hours. By the time Monday rolls around each week, we've built up a sleep
deficit of at least an hour. Of course, the weekend revelries and facing
another work week does not help matters. An increasing number of professional and
corporate people and managers are suffering such bouts.
Here are a few easy and effective ways to get around the
problem:
1. Start your to-do list Sunday night. Instead of starting the
week feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work you have to do, get a jump-start
by accomplishing a few tasks the night before, such as replying to a handful of
e-mails, preparing a meeting agenda etc.
2. 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.
3. If you can, sleep in an extra hour on Monday mornings :
Going to bed early on Sunday night doesn't always help because most people will
remain awake until their usual bedtime.
4. Exercise in the morning: to get your blood pumping and to
release those negative energies.
5. Get out in the sunlight: Bright light tells your body that
it is indeed the morning and helps reset your internal clock.
6. Wear your best: Make Mondays your look-my-best day and
should be strictly for wearing the clothes you like most. It is bound to rub
your blues away.
7. Change your attitude towards Mondays: The clichés like
`thank God it's Friday' and `oh God, it's Monday' condition one's mind to
perceive Mondays in a negative light. Why not look at it as a great beginning
to a new week? Think of weekly targets and Monday as being an opportunity to
start right away. Think of all the improvements that you aim at in your work
performance and use Monday to give it a start.
8. Make a lunch or dinner date: Knowing you're meeting a
friend later in the day will help you feel more excited in the morning. Consider
scheduling a get-together every Monday. If you don't have time for lunch, take
a 3 p.m. coffee break with a coworker
for a quick fix.
Take comfort in knowing that you are not alone in feeling miserable on Monday
morning. There are millions of people out there feeling the same way. If you
can change your attitude and treat Monday as an opportunity to return to work
refreshed and invigorated, you can beat the Monday blues forever.
If not, just take an off on a Monday. Doing nothing and
sitting around while you should have been working will bring you around to the
fact that Monday blues are more imaginary than real. Getting back to work is
the only way of actually snapping oneself back to reality!!