Tips On How to Beat Those Monday Blues.
“But do I have to go to work?”
If you go to bed on Sunday or wake up on Monday asking yourself this question. You and I have or had a lot in common. This used to be me. I dreaded Mondays because it meant the weekend and fun was over and it was time to go back to work. Studies show that Mondays are one of the most stressful days for working people and believe me I understand why, especially if you work within a job environment where you’re unhappy. So you ask, “Ok, you know how I feel, that’s great but what now?”.
In the last year I have switched from dreading Mondays to looking forward to them. Of course I’m human so there are some Mondays I’m still not excited about. But overall I wake up ready to face my Mondays and it started with retraining how I thought and then taking some simple actions:
An Attitude of Gratitude
This whole attitude of gratitude thing really didn’t set in until I started doing it. I begin my mornings first with a smile (will get back to this one), then a prayer about how grateful I am for a new day, and last my Thrive Experience….whoop whoop. There’s something special about starting your day from a place of graciousness. Your levels of energy and outlook are completely altered. I could have had a terrible night of bad dreams, tossing, turning, and still wake tired but no matter how my night went if I start with being thankful then it’s almost as if all the difficulty is washed away. But you have to first start by consistently doing this. Here are some helpful articles that go further into the topic so you have better understanding on why this is so significant, https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/gratitude.
Smile
Now back to the smile. Throughout the morning from the time you wake til you go to bed, smile. A smile goes a long way and even if you’re not happy smile any way. When you’re getting ready in the mirror smile at yourself. That’s you smiling back. You visually see yourself “happy” and a mental snapshot is taken and stored in your memory bank. There’s a physiological as well as emotional change that occurs when you do this so flash those awesome smiles.
Listen to Music
I haven’t met a person yet who doesn’t love music. While on your way to work listen to some of your favorite tunes. Studies have shown that we emotionally respond to music, http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/music-and-happiness2.htm. Think about it, haven’t you “felt some kind of way” when you listen to certain melodies or beats. You even find yourself bobbing your head or rocking side to side to certain songs without really thinking about it. Music is powerful in helping you to relax and feel happy so put your favorite hits on your phone and bluetooth them in on your way to work.
Take Breaks
“Now Walk it Out”….Walking is one of the best exercises you can do. Your mind and body will thank you. Taking occasional breaks from your normal workload, especially if you work at a desk even if it’s only for 5-10 minutes will do wonders for your emotional state. The movement will help with taking in more oxygen and getting you moving. Plus there’s a change of scenery. If you work within walls then get outside get out in the sun for a brief second. Office light, A/C, heating can all take a toll on us physically so any time we can take a break from those environments, we should.
Water
Make sure you get in at least 64 ounces of water or even better yet, 80. Dehydration can play a huge role in your ability to handle stress due to being tired and irritable. If you already don’t want to be at work and you’re also drained you’re more likely to NOT see the sunny side of things. We’re made up of approximately 70% water so when we limit ourselves we’re doing a great disservice, emotionally and physically. Be a helping hand and hydrate, Thrivin can also help.
Most important, remember that your job does not make you. Titles and salaries are just that, who we are is much more significant. When you get too wrapped up in your 9-5 then you can easily lose sight of your authentic self and become frustrated with the monotony of your employment. Be thankful to be gainfully employed but don’t forget who you are and how you can positively impact your work place. Whether that be as simple as showing up to work on time, making a kind comment to a co-worker, or finding a way to make things better, be a facilitator of improvement. Helpful people tend to be happier people and when you feel that you’re making contributions then you may be more likely to want to go to work.
As Les Brown would say, we all have greatness within us so wake up tomorrow ready to face the world with a smile and a “can do” spirit because you’ve got this. Have an awesome Monday.