Ashley Graham February 22, 2021 The ‘Case of the Mondays’ is commonly known as the feelings and emotions we experience the first day back to work after the weekend. These feelings and emotions can consist of lack of motivation, productivity-blockers, a sense of restlessness, and an immense desire for the weekend to come back around.
We can all agree that Mondays look vastly different than what they used to pre-pandemic. Sunday evenings were a perfect time to reflect on our perfectly-curated schedules for the week ahead while skimming our social and wellness calendars to plan out where we could spend quality time outside of our “9-to-5” workflows.
Before quarantine, we would prepare for the week ahead on Sunday evenings by visualizing our outfits to wear to the office or coffee shops that would transition into our attire for the social occasions we would attend after 5:00 p.m.
With our homes transforming into our offices, as well as our place of virtual socialization, it’s easy for our days to begin blending together. As Mondays are known for playing the role of new beginnings for the week, I’ve discovered ways to consciously maintain the same excitement for Monday mornings prior to the pandemic. Here are my 7 Conscious Cures for the Case of the Mondays (Work-From-Home Edition).
7 Conscious Cures For The Case Of The Mondays
Decompress Your Mind On Sundays
The best plan to have on a Sunday is no plan at all. Sundays are a great day to dedicate time for yourself, decompressing from your thoughts and actions towards the week ahead or from the week prior. Sundays are a great day to live in the present.
Some activities to explore are catching up on reading a book of your choice, listening to a favorite artist, popping in a good movie with a snack, going for a walk alone or with a friend, or simply relaxing and meditating in silence.
The goal of decompressing on Sunday is to have a clear mind from your weekly routine or calendar. Use Sundays as a way to get in touch with other aspects of your life that bring you happiness outside of your daily schedule and responsibilities.
Get A Good Night’s Rest
With little stimulation for the mind, it’s easy to feel restless. When we become restless and lack mental and physical stimulation throughout the day, our sleep schedules and abilities to relax can become challenging.
There is beauty in a good night’s sleep. Following a consistent bedtime schedule can offer a multitude of benefits. Set a reasonable time in the evening to begin winding down from your household chores, tending to the care of others, and saving time for self-care prior to your bedtime. An easy way to stay on schedule is to set an alarm or timer to alert you when you are approaching your snooze time. Then, it’s just a matter of falling asleep as quickly as possible!
Ways to fall asleep soundly and stay asleep include limiting the amount of screen-time you have on your phone, computer, or TV prior to falling asleep. If you are a sleeper who needs to fall asleep to sound, try falling asleep to meditation music or soothing sounds of nature. Enjoying calming tea such as chamomile or lavender with lemon can also provide benefits to falling asleep quicker.
Plan For Mindful Monday Mornings
Make it a point for Monday mornings to become a time to be proactive versus reactive. There are a few ways that you can have a mindful Monday morning to start the week on a high note.
Set your alarm to wake up at an hour where you can ease into your day, versus having to race into your workflow or to-do list. As easy as it is to roll out of bed and hop straight onto the computer or phone, make it a point to begin working at least 2-3 hours after you begin your morning. Rushing into your work or schedule in the morning is a quick way to reach burnout.
Mindfully prepare your morning with a clear mind. Instead of thinking about your to-do list for the day, put on a guided meditation or soothing music while you make your morning tea or coffee, and breakfast. Morning pages are also powerful when it comes to clearing your mind of any “mind junk” you may have from the weekend and/or the week prior.
It’s important to practice being present in moments that don’t require much effort.
A powerful way to become present is by focusing your mind on positive predictions for the day or visualizing how you want Monday morning to progress. We naturally have a checklist that runs through our minds, but mindful mornings are impactful for prolonging your productivity throughout the week.
Revitalize The Body To Sharpen The Mind
Wellness is vital to our abilities to be productive, clear-minded and connected to our work. Simple but effective ways to revitalize your body are drinking enough water, replenishing your body with nutrients, and adding consistent movement throughout the day.
When it comes to your diet if you don’t have time to eat a full breakfast on Monday morning, be sure to eat a light snack. An organic power bar with antioxidants, a bag of oatmeal, or mixed nuts is great alternatives for sustenance to fuel energy in your body.
As for fluids, be sure to drink plenty of water, especially when you are drinking caffeinated and sugar-infused drinks such as coffee, tea, or juices with real fruit. Raw and natural sugars are great for an energy boost but are dehydrating for your body and skin.
Dress And Refresh To Impress
When you look good, you feel good. Working from home has its perks with casual, comfortable wear but putting effort into looking good is a serotonin-kick to your confidence. When we feel confident, we open the door to creative expression, which adds life to our work. A polished look with minimal effort is simple and aligned with the comfort of working from home.
Pair a trendy, camera-worthy top with loose-fitting jeans, or find a matching casual outfit to wear with freshly washed/styled hair and clean, plump skin. You can choose to refresh your work from home look every day of the week but there is exceptional energy to welcoming the week looking and feeling good.
Consciously Choose Your Motivation Mediums
There are a number of ways we take in mediums that motivate us on a Monday morning, as they are easily accessible. From listening to the news or music, tuning into a podcast, or joining conversations on social media, we have a number of ways to receive stimulation to get moving and shaking the moment our feet hit the floor. However, not all mediums provide the same long-lasting and positive impact as others.
Depending on your style and the type of inspiration you are seeking to boost your mindset for the day, different mediums provide different moods. For example, watching the news first thing in the morning is not going to give you the same positive reinforcement as listening to a podcast episode from your favorite author. The same as one genre of music dedicated to upbeat tones for physical endurance is not going to give you the same ambient effect as a genre to provide you with feelings of serenity and productivity.
Different mediums target different moods, so choose what medium is in alignment with the ultimate goal of what you want to feel and express at the beginning of the week. Joining and listening in on mindful conversations on social media platforms such as Clubhouse or live videos on Instagram are great ways to feel like you are with a circle of influence, even through a screen.
However, it’s important to set a healthy boundary on the number of mediums you intake while you are working from home. It’s easy to get distracted and lose sight of the agenda that is in front of you. Set a time in your calendar for medium intake and follow a routine where it doesn’t take away your attention from work.
Look For The Passion In What You Do
Although what you do is classified as work, that doesn’t mean it has to feel like work, especially while you are enjoying the comfort of your own home. Having a passion for what you classify as work is what will keep you moving forward through feelings of stagnation, lack of drive and motivation, as well as burnout.
One way to help ease these feelings the first thing on Monday morning is to separate the connection between passion and monetary gain. We work to make money, but a passion for what we do runs deeper than what we retain in financial value.
Journal and coach yourself on what you perceive as passion, value, and success for the week ahead (either Sunday evening or first thing Monday morning). Review and notice the similarities and connections between what you find as your target focus for the week to help shift your mindset around passion in the work that you do.
Passion is the best cure, so let passion be your connection to discovering the ways that you can leverage your work-from-home life to aid in the success of your work, as well as other creative endeavors that may arise.
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