Ever have the Sunday blues? Your weekend is winding down. You’ve had a great dinner, some relaxing time with family and friends. Maybe you went on a beautiful hike, watched a great movie, or finally caught up on a project at home. You’d think you’d feel rested and content, but instead you’re dreading tomorrow. You’re thinking about morning traffic, the emails waiting for you, the problems you need to resolve at work. Instead of feeling restored and energized by time off, you’re feeling anxious or a little melancholy. Those “Sunday Blues” are really a “Monday Malaise.” How can we change our perspective?
You can begin by facing the dread directly. Pull out your journal and dive right in. Why do you hate Mondays, and how long has it plagued you? You might find the pattern of discomfort around the second day of the week has past associations. Do you remember feeling this way as a child, maybe when school wasn’t going well? Notice the feelings coming up for you, like anxiety, loneliness, sadness or hopelessness. As you dig deeper, you may find an old incident that has affected your relationship with work and time. Journaling is an excellent way to begin processing the past and the feelings associated with them.
Examine your thoughts and beliefs about Mondays. Our culture has a deeply held view of work as unfulfilling, something we have to do to get by, and so Mondays have come to mean returning to “the old grind.” What beliefs have you adopted that could be informing your perception? You may even enjoy your job, but if you believe it’s supposed to be a ball and chain you’ll obviously dampen your enthusiasm for beginning the work week again. As you watch your thoughts and tease out your beliefs you can create a new, empowering perspective.
On Sunday evening, create a list of what you’d like to accomplish this week. Along with work objectives, make note of time set aside for family and creative projects. Creating balance and setting healthy limits is even more difficult when we love what we do. List the spiritual or inner work you’d like to do, like journaling, reading, prayer, and meditation. Add something you do just for the fun of it. You can even prioritize the fun, creativity and relationships on your “to do” list.
Reframe your day. Design fun activities and treats you only enjoy on Mondays. Maybe it’s a walk with a dear friend first thing in the morning, or a crossword puzzle over coffee with real cream. Maybe Monday is the day you eat lunch at your favorite restaurant, or wear your favorite pair of shoes. Get dressed up, go to a museum at lunch, or knock off early. Socialize in the evening or watch your favorite show at home to celebrate the beginning of a new week. Plan something special that makes Monday, at least in part, a treat. Transforming your perception of the day is the real reward.
There’s a new Monday every week, so it’s worth taking time to address the problem. Whether you choose to make it fun, reframe your perspective or dive directly into your relationship with Mondays, I highly recommend you meditate a little each day in whatever way feels best to you. Meditation not only helps you face Monday mornings with a bit more grace and ease, it helps relieve the blues generally and uplift your life in myriad ways.
Mondays are really another day we can live a life we love. Instead of viewing it as the beginning of work and obligation, try a different angle. Look at it as a new start, the beginning of a week full of potential and possibilities. Monday is an opportunity to begin anew with a fresh perspective. Who knows? Maybe Monday will become your favorite day of the week!
Let me know your thoughts about this. Your comments make a difference for us all.
For further information on accessing your wisdom, happiness, fulfillment, and peace you desire, click here to learn about Dr. Howard's Multiple Award Winning Book "Your Ultimate Life Plan: How to Deeply Transform Your Everyday Experience and Create Changes That Last."
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