After a relaxing weekend, you may find it difficult to wake up on Monday morning, excited for work the week ahead. Most working professionals spend their Monday mornings in a rush to be on time, stumbling out of bed to brew fresh coffee, throwing on work clothes, and skimming through emails on our phones and hating the fact that it’s Monday. Monday morning blues are a real problem, but you can learn to beat the Monday morning blues with these ten tips.

Have Some Productive Fun On The Weekend

Don’t make the mistake of wasting your weekends doing nothing. Enjoy the free time you have for some much needed recreation. Go to a concert, have a barbeque with your family, or visit a museum. It’s nice to have a lazy weekend where you do nothing but lounge around once in awhile, but it’s important to accomplish the things you want to do so come Monday you aren’t left wondering where all the time went. Have fun on the weekend, but get errands done too so that you can focus on your work week without stressing about the household chores that still need to be done.

Keep Yourself Organised

Being organised is a good rule of thumb to keep general stress out of your day-to-day life and it will do wonders to keep the Monday blues at bay. Store any personal items that you’ll need during the week in a designated space. If you keep yourself organised, come Monday morning, you’re not searching frantically for your lost phone, wallet, or work ID. Another way to keep your mornings stress free is to get your clothes ready the night before so that you won’t have to waste time picking out your clothes in the morning.

Plan for the Week Ahead

Spend each Friday afternoon making a list of tasks you need to complete and things you’d like to achieve during the following week. For instance, you might want to jot down that need to finish off that project at work you’ve been working on or that you need to fit in a good workout twice in the upcoming week. When you know what your goals are ahead of time, you can start Monday morning with a sense of purpose, feeling pumped for the week ahead.

Get Plenty Of Sleep On The Weekend

Everyone looks forward to sleeping in on the weekends, but it’s important for your health to maintain a regular sleep routine. Avoid sleeping more than two hours past your normal wake up time so that your sleep schedule stays the same. Too much extra sleep on Sunday morning will cause you stay up later that night, leaving you groggy Monday morning. Most people underestimate the value of having a regular sleep pattern and getting enough rest. Use your weekends wisely and create a healthy balance between socialising and recharging. Getting enough sleep on Sunday can make all the difference on Monday morning.

Eat a Nutritious Breakfast

Every morning should start off on the right foot with a healthy breakfast. Living off coffee alone is only going to make those Monday blues worse. Eating a nutritious breakfast will keep your brain functioning properly and give you the energy to face the new workweek. Aside from eating a healthy breakfast, you always want to maintain a well-balanced diet throughout the week and weekend. Limit your junk food intake as much as possible. It’s ok to enjoy an occasional treat on the weekend, but in moderation.

Smile

Most of us spend so much time stressing about Monday morning that we forget to smile. We may be walking around the house or office with a scowl or frown, making us feel even more stressed and unhappy. Several studies show that a simple act like smiling, even if it’s a forced smile, helps to improve people’s moods and give them a more positive perspective. So why not turn that frown upside down as soon as you wake up and greet the day with a smile?

Drink Water

Oftentimes, we can feel drained and lethargic in the mornings because we’re actually dehydrated from a night’s sleep. Our body doesn’t get the fluids it needs to function at full capacity at night when we’re asleep so drinking a glass of water early in the morning can combat low energy levels as it replenishes your body’s natural fluid loss.

Wake Up Earlier

While this may sound like the last thing you would want to do on a Monday morning, try waking up a few minutes earlier than you normally would in order to buy yourself some time to get ready without being rushed. The few extra minutes will also allow you to take a moment to enjoy the morning.

Get Your Heart Rate Pumping

Increase your heart rate and you’ll start feeling better in no time. Stretch as soon as you get out of bed and do some light exercise, like jogging in place for a few minutes or a few sets of jumping jacks and squats, to wake up your mind and body. Try an aromatherapy shower to further awaken your senses. Adding an energising scent like citrus to your shower can cheer you up and revitalise you instantly.

Enjoy Your Workplace

If you’re feeling down on Monday morning, it could be because you’re not a fan of your job. Maybe it’s the job itself or maybe it’s the people you work with. Take some time to think about why you dread going to work. Write down the issues that are bothering you. Is there something you could change? How can you make work more stimulating and exciting?

Unfortunately, there’s no magical cure for the Monday blues, but these tips will be sure to help you better take on the beginning of a work week.

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Beat the Monday Morning Blues with These 10 Tips

Career Advice Career counselling, advice and guidance
Select article category

Select article category

Productivity Tips
Workplace English
Industry Stories
Job Search in Hong Kong
HR Career Success
How to Get Promoted
Career Path Planning
Career Coaching & Guidance
Advice Columnist