The first day of the week has officially been declared the worst by Guinness World Records. But that won’t get you out of work. Four experts share their mantras so you can get better of the day
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In the life of the average corporate professional, #MondayBlues starts trending by Sunday evening. Some share a funny meme, some groan and complain, and for a few others, Monday brings with it a wave of trepidation. Now, the starting day of the week has been awarded the title of the worst day by the Guinness World Records. While the move was widely welcomed by netizens, it doesn’t change the fact that Mondays continue to be a part of our lives. Four professionals, who are in the business of putting a smile on people’s faces, share with us tips and hacks, so that we can approach the day with less anxiety.
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Retrain your mind
One of the primary reasons why professionals face Monday blues is because a lot of them are dissatisfied or disengaged with their work, notes international success coach Anand Chulani. “Even if they are engaged with their work, their personal or family time is of higher value to them. Because of that, they feel a sense of loss on Sunday — they have lost time on something that’s important to them — and now they have to spend time on something that’s of lower value to them,” explains the mental well-being expert. As the weekend tends to be spread across one or two days, the feeling stresses them out further.
Start your Monday with an activity that recharges you, like meditation
Here are some of his suggestions:
. Retrain your mind. If you believe it, you will see it. If you believe Monday will be painful, then it’s more likely that it will be. On Sunday, set your mindset that Monday is going to be an effective day, or the start of a new adventure. We all set New Year resolutions; why can’t Monday prompt new week resolutions?
. If you are sad on Sunday or Monday about the fact that you don’t have enough time with the people you love, ensure you make time for them throughout the week. Don’t wait for the weekend. Life shouldn’t be about slogging through the week and spending quality family time on the weekend only — every day should be a balance.
. Start Monday with a way to recharge your mental, physical and emotional batteries. It could be exercising, listening to a podcast, reading, journalling, meditating — whatever helps you to connect to something greater than you.
Work hard, party harder
Stand-up comic Amit Tandon has a rather hilarious take on Mondays. Those who think that the day is the worst of the week, he believes, are not married or in a relationship. Because if you are, Monday is what you look forward to. “On Saturday and Sunday, there’s so much to do — clean up the house, call the plumber, buy groceries. If you think Monday is bad for you, you should get married. You’ll prefer meeting your colleagues on Monday than meeting the plumber on Sunday,” he tells us. Quitting your job and starting a business (so you hate all days equally), or working from home (so you can party and work) are some of his other chuckle-worthy suggestions to make Monday cooler. He leaves party-lovers with a tip: if you party a lot on Saturday, and your Sunday is spent dealing with a hangover, then Monday is bound to look better.
Have a calm Sunday
Queer-affirmative psychotherapist Itisha Peerbhoy defines Monday morning blues as an urban phenomenon that is common for everyone over the age of 10 who faces a structured week. “In fact, more recently, Sunday evening blues has become a familiar experience with people dreading the week ahead. It is normal and okay to feel a sense of sadness that a break is ending,” she assures us. However, she notes that it can take on a life of its own and lead to depression and lack of motivation if the behaviour becomes compulsive. “As a therapist in private practice, I have never felt it because my time remains my own and having autonomy over time is a big factor in long-term wellness,” she explains, sharing a few tips:
. Schedule the parts of your job that you absolutely love to do for Monday morning. This gives you something to look forward to at work.
. Keep Sunday evening calm and pleasant; add a meditation practice or any other centering practice, like a long walk, to the evening routine so that you go into Monday morning with a balanced nervous system.
. Make Monday about reconnecting with colleagues and clients that you actually like — plan a lunch or coffee meet-up, and allow strong work relationships to remind you that work is not just about what you do.
On Mondays, meet up colleagues or clients you like
Start on a positive note
Former Indian Navy official-turned-medical clown Pravin Tulpule believes that time is a perception. And one can condition their mind to change that perception: “Why do we celebrate January 1?
Because we’ve been conditioned to. Start thinking that Monday is the start of your weekend.” Although he doesn’t always have to tackle Monday blues, Tulpule likes to set aside an activity or event to look forward to on the day — for instance, connecting with his US-based kids and grandchild. “Set a positive task for yourself every day, not just Monday. It might look a little mundane but I look forward to each morning because I have started a daily routine of sharing interesting trivia around words and phrases with a few friends,” he illustrates. When he was in the armed forces, Tulpule recalls that they would avoid scheduling major events on Monday, as otherwise Saturday and Sunday would get tied up planning for the same.
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