You don’t need Nostradamus to predict that Monday is going to be your toughest work day this week. You need to turn Monday into ‘nothing special’ to save your life.
Mondays are historically the least popular day of the week. It’s also the least work-productive day of the week. You are much more likely to succumb to a heart attack or a workplace accident on Monday. Suicide rates in both men and women are higher on Mondays.
Our weekends act as a welcome break from the ‘grind’ we associate with the work week. Friday nights are fun, Saturdays are relaxing but by Sunday, we begin anticipating and then regretting the return to ‘normalcy’ that we associate with Monday. The anxiety associated with returning to work coupled with the alterations that come with your weekend sleep schedule creates a weekly circadian disruption that’s hard to overcome and sometimes deadly.
Generally, understanding the WHY is the first step in overcoming the adverse effects. Now that you understand why Mondays are so hard on you, take steps to avert the seemingly sudden psychological changes associated with the transition back to work.
Replace your anxiety with excitement and anticipation. Make a list of the things you are looking forward to this coming week. Turn in early to guarantee enough sleep. Push your workout to later in the day and make that delay a habit to ward off the fear associated with a Monday morning stroke or heart attack.
Take a moment today to dig into the psychological, sociological and physiological underpinnings of dreading Monday. Overcome the stigma of Mondays with knowledge, planning and science. Make your Monday ‘nothing special’ to improve your physical and mental health.
If you need additional motivation to succeed today, remember that training changes behavior. That and maybe knowing that Nostradamus first name was “Mike” might help. Just a normal person like you and me. Nothing special.
Reach out to Arcadia Cognerati for all your training and consulting needs.
