There is probably no such thing as natural ‘Monday people’. There are, however, disciplined people that follow certain steps to help them beat the Sunday blues and prepare for the week ahead. Here’s how you can step into each new week with a renewed sense of vigour…
- Sleep, but don’t snooze.
A lot of people fall into the trap of burning the candle at both ends. But the reality is you cannot catch up on lost sleep. There is not a more important night to get a good sleep than on a Sunday, and no better way to beat the Sunday blues. The Dalai Lama has even been quoted as saying, “Sleep is the best form of meditation.” Another important tip is to not hit the snooze button. By hitting that tempting button, you are telling your body it’s a false alarm. A slow wake up will make you more groggy, making it harder to get out of bed and face the day.
- Get active
Countless studies show that exercise not only motivates and improves work performance but also pulls us out of a slump. One study found that when a group of people suffering from mild to moderate depression exercised (i.e. strength training, running or walking) for at least 20 to 60 minutes 3 times a week, they were significantly less depressed 5 weeks later. The benefits were immediate and were maintained for these participants as long as they consistently exercised.
- Don’t get a head start on your emails
Dave Karp, CEO and Founder of Tumblr, says that he will not respond to email until he gets to the office. Staying focused on the week ahead, setting your mental state up for a productive week, is key. The power of an email to distract is overwhelming, taking your brain away from big planning. Besides, when was the last time you had a Monday email that had to be dealt with right away?
- Don’t make any permanent decisions
Monday is the most popular days to resign from a job. The Sunday blues have a lot to do with this, leading us to believe we’ve had enough. Making major decisions on the day when you’re down can have serious consequences. Most big decisions can wait until Tuesday, particularly if you start to shape your schedule around the idea.
- Schedule work that has tangible results on Mondays.
When you schedule work that you can work through quickly, yielding immediate results, you will get immense satisfaction. Behavioural Psychologist Kelly Lambert has done a lot of research that shows handiwork can pull us out of depressed moments. For example, when you knit a scarf, Lambert says, the brain’s executive-thinking centres get busy planning. Whether it’s organising your desk, putting dates in your monthly calendar, or writing notes of encouragement to staff, you will feel like you’re really achieving some goals, which will do wonders for your soul.
