Monday morning rolls around and you find yourself dreading going to work. Whether it’s that you feel your weekend wasn’t long enough or that you have a laundry list of to-do’s when you get back – you are not excited for work. If you feel like you don’t enjoy going back to work post-weekend, check out the list below for a few ways to improve your Monday mood.

Prepare Yourself Beforehand

One of the most efficient ways to make Mondays more enjoyable is to prepare your week ahead of time. Try to complete any ongoing projects, spend time clearing out your inbox, flag the things that are going to be important come Monday, and tidy up your desk in anticipation of the week ahead. This will allow you to come into work on Monday knowing where you stand with your workload and walking into your space with a fresh organized feel will help reduce the feeling of overwhelming and allow you to begin your tasks with a fresh start.

Disconnect on the Weekend

If you find yourself consistently taking calls or sorting through your emails on Saturday and Sunday, you may feel like you missed your opportunity to unplug. If your job allows it, disconnect on the weekends. Staying connected to your work during the weekend may seem like it will help your workload, but we need time to recharge in order to perform our best. So if you are someone who is working on the weekends (and are not required to) try taking a step back and see if it impacts your Monday mood.

Recharge on Sundays

Another successful way to recharge on the weekends is to ensure enough sleep on Sunday night. If you drastically change your sleep schedule on the weekend, it can impact your ability to fall asleep at a normal time come Sunday. Try getting up earlier Sunday morning so that you can hop back on your weekday sleep schedule. Going to work tired on Monday – can negatively impact your workday. Not only will you perform better, but your energy levels will be higher as well.

Strategically Schedule Your Monday

Monday’s are typically a busier day of the week. Friday’s to-do list will carry over, or there will be tasks that came in over the weekend that you’ll have to tackle. But one way to ensure you still enjoy your first day back after the weekend is carving out time on your calendar for tasks that you enjoy doing. This will allow you to refocus and recharge. Oftentimes (if you’re able) all you need is a change of pace to help your schedule work with you instead of against you.

Add Music into the Mix

This suggestion is dependent on office policy, but according to HR Daily Advisor, 39% of people find themselves “much more productive” listening to music at work. Music can not only positively impact your mood – by listening to upbeat music, but it can also drown out sounds if you’re in a busy environment, or set the tone for a more relaxed workflow by listening to more calming music. If your company allows it, bring some headphones/earbuds if necessary. You’ll be surprised how much of an impact this can affect your productivity.

Asses Where Your Stress is Coming From

If you’re finding that your weekend ending is not the only reason for dreading Mondays – it’s time to assess what else can be causing your stress. For example, does dealing with all your emails on Monday make you feel overwhelmed or anxious? In this case, try prioritizing your urgent emails and schedule the rest for later. Once you realize where your stress is coming from, you can acknowledge it, and adjust accordingly.

Look at the Bigger Picture

Finally, if you’ve tried all the above, and still seem to have trouble with Mondays, you may need to dive deeper. If you have a similar feeling during most of your weekdays, there may be another underlying reason which may require a more long-term fix. Consider what it would take to help you enjoy your job again, and if you’ve exhausted all efforts, it might be time to start exploring other opportunities.

 

 

How do you make your Monday’s more enjoyable?