Avoiding monday blues

Monday morning can be really frustrating and exhausting even if you stay indoors and don’t celebrate the weekend.

The second day of the week is hated by many and is often termed as Monday blues as it signals the herald of another week when we have to face more challenging tasks at work.

As most of us stay up later on weekend nights and sleep in during the day messing up our circadian rhythms, it makes us grumpy and irritable when the alarm goes off on Monday morning. Here are some of the ways to avoid your Monday blues:

1. Make a Monday to-do list—on Sunday

The weekend may be a cause to celebrate, but don’t make it official until you’ve written a to-do list for Monday. Everything you need to accomplish next week will be top of mind, so it makes sense to capture it at this time. If you start the week without this list, you’ll have to brainstorm on Monday morning about the lingering projects from last week, which could be tough when you’re sluggish. With this list drafted beforehand, Monday will make you feel more productive and you can have an easier time focusing.

2. Stick to sleep schedule

Staying up late in the weekend may lead to tired Monday blues. So sticking with a consistent sleep schedule all week long is best as it will lead to engerised Monday and completion of pending work schedules.Try not to go to bed or wake up more than an hour past your normal times or if you need to nap, a brief snooze in the early afternoon will help you avoid grogginess and disrupted nighttime sleep.

3. Rethink breakfast

Breakfast is the most essential diet and skiping it may cause health issues. Eating a balanced and healthy breakfast will allow you to stay energised throughout the day. But that doesn’t mean you need to eat immediately upon rising, eat when you feel hungry so that it boost your mood and you don’t starve or get cranky. Have chapattis with veggies or whole-wheat sourdough toast and avocado, brown bread toast with margarine and eggs with fruit and yogurt on the side.

4. Wear a feel-good outfit

If you dress well you feel good. To boost your mood, choose your favourite outfit or print, or a sustainable brand you feel great about. To avoid wardrobe crisis pick your outfit the night before Monday.

5. Seek natural light

Perking up your morning might be as simple as getting a dose of natural light. Try opening the shades, avoid eating breakfast outside, water your vegetable garden, or taking a walk. Change the light in your indoor space to brighten things up; try move your computer closer to a window or paint your walls a more vivid color.

6. Create a morning ritual

Start your morning with yoga or meditation and make it as a morning ritual. This will lead to a fresh start and vitalize your body and mind which will keep you focused. Also for instance, you might brew a really good cup of tea, go to your favorite exercise class, green your commute by biking to work. With something pleasant built into your morning schedule, you’ll likely feel a little less dread and a little more positivity when the Monday alarm buzzes.

7. Make it a fun day

An easy way to turn Mondays around is to make them the day you commit to fun plans for later in the week. Schedule a night out with friends, movie dates, or even a binge-watch of your favorite show. Regardless of the activity, just thinking about the good times in store for you later in the week will be an instant pickup for the day.

8. Do a random act of kindness

Put positive energy into the world and you’ll get it back, research confirms; performing acts of kindness for seven days boosted happiness and well-being. As you start your day, look for ways to perform a random act of kindness, whether for a coworker, your neighbor, or a stranger. Bring coffee to a colleague, text a friend you haven’t talked to in a while to let them know you miss them, or make a small donation to an animal shelter or environmental cause will create positive energy for the day.