Why Monday Blues Exist and How to Overcome Them?

Oh no! it’s Monday! Ever felt so? Of course, we all have this feeling when Monday hits, right? It is the Monday blues or morning blues, or call it the Monday morning blues. This blog explores its meaning, causes, symptoms, and impacts. Also, imparts knowledge about positive Monday blues quotes and enlists many practical and best ways to beat this Monday blues syndrome, which prepares us further to enjoy our most hated day of the week.

OH NO! IT'S MONDAY

Why Monday Blues Exist and How to Overcome Them?

What is Monday blues?

Some even have quoted it as “Office Syndrome”, a disease! But to label it as a depression or a clinical illness is also an overstatement since it occurs at a specific time: Mondays only, no other day! And as the day passes it lessens and fully disappears before the weekend approaches. So natural, is it? Nonetheless, let’s admit that we are the victims and all of us have experienced this nerve-racking blues on Mondays; a profoundly demotivating behaviour that we exhibit unknowingly, yet it exists.

But, is this Monday blues real? Let’s check it out.

How real this Monday blues is?

Yes, it is as real as the Monday itself! Researchers too, nod that Monday blues exists. In numerous studies, office workers have reported having lower levels of job satisfaction, higher stress, poor motivation, dragging, and low mood on Monday mornings, and the findings are consistent. Often, they find a connection with Sunday Scaries- another emotional let-down when on Sunday night, just before Monday, they do experience anxiety, agitation, and dread. They (Sunday scaries & Monday blues) are just there; we can’t do anything about them but acknowledge and find a way out, and yes, there is a way out, in fact many!

Who can feel Monday blues?

Any working man or woman, be it a fresh student, a veteran professional, or even a self-employed one, everyone can experience Monday blues, provided they had enjoyed the weekend break and have returned to their routine. 

What do psychologists and other famous personalities believe?

Dr. Deepali Batra, the clinical psychologist, says "Mondays are very stressful as most people are given their weekly targets on this day. They are usually expected to be on their toes on this day and perform efficiently”. 

As per Cliff Arnall, “Multiply that Monday blues feeling by a few hundred and you have the 'Blue Monday”. The third Monday of January is typically called Blue Monday. This day is deemed to be the saddest and bluest for many around the globe”. However, this phenomenon is less common in India.  

Alexander Kjerulf, an international author, explains “It contains elements of depression, tiredness, hopelessness, and a sense that work is unpleasant but unavoidable.”

Rita Friedman, a Philadelphia-based career coach, agrees “If you love your job and are passionate about what you're doing, going in to work Monday morning is another opportunity to do what you love. But if you're feeling under-appreciated or unsatisfied with your job, it can be especially difficult to start another seemingly endless workweek”.

Ryan Kahn, a career coach and founder of The Hired Group remarks that “Monday Blues are contagious. Your stress or bad mood can drastically change the overall work environment”.

Marie Claire’s (French magazine) report says “46% of women are least motivated to look at themselves in the mirror on a Monday morning. Well, it’s not just you girls—it’s everyone. The reason? Visible emotional effects of the weekend’s occurrences”.

Why do we feel Monday blues?

Monday is the farthest day from Friday and the weekend, and this can make some people feel down. However, it’s a multifactorial phenomenon. Not one but many are the common reasons to feel low on Monday, and the stress of daily work that accumulates continuously until we feel that Monday mornings are scary and boring tops the list (So, finish your work timely and totally before Saturday). Here, more relatable thing is, it affects more to those who have a standard 5-days work week. Some other reasons are:

-Unsatisfied with the job you are doing
-Simply not happy with your boss, colleagues, or work environment.
-Unable to contribute to the relationship because of your work commitments.
-Your own mental health issue(s).

"The Monday blues may also signal significant unhappiness in someone’s life"

What are the symptoms of Monday blues?

Since it’s not a clinical illness, symptoms are purely anecdotal. A simple bad mood on Monday morning is the main symptom as people are distressed for, they have to get back to work. Researchers say bad mood on Monday morning is not because of stressors they face but because of the way they respond to them. Still, there is a set of vague symptoms that people might experience based on the severity of their Monday blues. They are:  

-sadness
-lethargy or fatigue
-feeling agitated
-persistent worrying about the week to come
-an overall sense of dread or uneasiness
-changes in appetite
-trouble sleeping
-muscle tension
-headaches

What is the impact of Monday blues?

Grossly unnotified though, Monday blues has profound effects on the person, office personnel, the organization, and the surrounding working environment.  

1: At an individual level: As per the CNBC article, workers are most unhappy at precisely 11:17 a.m. on Monday morning, which directly impacts the individual outcome and the output. A study even has reported that Monday mornings are so dismal that employees only have about three-and-a-half hours of productive work time. when you're feeling blue you are less productive, less motivated, more pessimistic, less creative, less engaged, and learn more slowly–just to mention a few effects. Besides, taking regular leave on Monday turns out to be their weekly ritual. 

2: At the workplace: Mondays do have a negative impact on your performance and efficiency—as well as the people around you. When you're unhappy, you make others unhappy, and oftentimes just one worker with a case of Monday blues can spread the doldrums to the whole team. 

3: At the level of organization: The “Monday Blues” impact the performance, productivity, and culture of your organization when the behavior patterns of employees are unmotivating and discouraging. This also affects the finance, production, and psychology of an institute negatively.

The science behind Monday blues?

A telegraph study concludes an employee won’t even crack a smile till 11:16 AM on a Monday, and the same sad face would stay on, which signifies that there’s science behind Monday blues. But why so?

1. Workers are statistically unhealthy on Mondays. A study by Japan's Tokyo Women's Medical University observes a significant increase in blood pressure among workers.

2. Delayed body clock: As per researchers of Flinders University one, people oversleep on weekends as compared to weekdays, which on the contrary delays their body clock by 45 minutes, causing Monday blues.

3. Emotionally challenging: When the party mod goes away, and hustle mode comes on, it drains a person emotionally.

4. Ghastliest reason why people feel Monday blues is, around two third of the employees don't like what they do in the first place!  

Can we beat Monday Blues? The answer is "YES". 

Well, numerous articles and literature advocate different hacks or ideas to effectively deal with Blues of Monday. But not all are practical and easily applicable. Therefore, we have curated some ways out, which can prove effective and simply doable.

1. Weekends are not the only days: Understand that Saturdays and Sundays are not the only days of the week to enjoy. Also, don't always look forward to weekends, plan something exciting during weekdays also. Such belief creates a biased perspective about Monday.

2. Diagnose your Monday blues: Unless you figure out the prime reason behind your Blues, all other ways look nothing but a burden. Find out what are they? Is it your job itself? Or you are unsatisfied no matter how perfect your job is? Or it is the shift? the time? People around? The boss? or you are mentally ill? What is it? Just get it over with, and you shall have a Happy Monday.

3. Complete your work on Friday: This unburdens you and makes a path for an easy weekend and light Monday. The anxiety of unfinished work doesn't let you live through the weekend and spoils Monday.

4. Keep a scheduled sleep: Who doesn't like to oversleep on weekends? But don't do that. keeping a regular sleep schedule all week can help you feel rested and energized. It helps to adjust the shift back to work days from our careless weekend. See, if you woke up at 07:00 am on Saturday and Sunday, how much would it hurt you to wake up at the same time on Monday?

5. Sunday is the day to rest: Change the belief that Sunday is like eating, having fun, sleeping, and repeating. For such activities pick any days of the week and keep Sunday for the rest.

6. Plan Sunday night in advance: Prepare your Monday outfit, have a satisfying dinner, and make a to-do list for Monday. Elimination of stressors will make your Monday more tolerable.

7. Sleep early on Sunday night: Make sure to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep to gear up for the workweek. Getting to bed at a reasonable hour will make the alarm clock your new best friend.

8. Hit the Gym/ Workout: Yes, the first thing to do on Monday is to GYM. Sounds hard, doesn't it? But this releases Endorphin, the pleasure hormone which elevates your mood and sets you in perfect motion. Want to learn about Endorphins? Follow the link: Endorphins

9. Wake up early on Monday: Seems counterproductive, yes? But it actually boosts metabolism and gives you some "YOU" time before the shift.

10. Just smile: Taking a shower? Then, smile, and put on a happy face. Carry it with u in the office and infect others.

11. New day, new attire: Why not wear something that brings a smile to your face. Studies say RED is the color of celebration, and wearing it in the office enhances your as well as the energy levels of others. So, “Dress up, perk up, and show up ready to be positive and help others be positive”.

12. Have some music: While being ready for work or commuting, have some music that you liked, the tunes that always made you happy. And while stepping out of your home, hum it along as long as you can. Car music is even better.

13. Be Positive: Begin your Monday in Gratitude mode and stop being a complainer. Take time to recognize the things you can appreciate and be thankful for.

14. Have a specific Monday ritual: Figure out some joyful ways to celebrate Monday. Bring coffee for the staff or have breakfast for the colleagues.

15. Say No to Monday meetings: Actively or passively, try to avoid any meetings on Monday, this puts you in a working mode, in fact, if the meetings are inevitable, then keep them short. This brings happiness and motivation. 

16. Reward yourself: On Monday, don't forget to reward yourself with chocolate, do some online shopping while taking lunch, or do something that makes you happy during breaks.

17. Take frequent breaks: On Monday, it becomes necessary to hit the breaks while working. This reduces stress, clears the mind, and distracts you from heaping responsibilities on your desk. On any working day, the quality of the work matters and not the quantity of the work you do. So, take it easy on Monday's workload.

 

18. Discover your ways to enjoy: Everyone has their ways to feel happy, but forget to use them specifically on Monday. Don't do it. Keep persistent, and even more consciously pursue those ideas that could keep you happy all day.

19. Journaling: Before the week starts, make a habit to write the anxiety of your next week. This puts you in a clear perspective.

20. Meditation: When your anxious or sad thoughts feel overwhelming, Meditation can be a great way to give yourself a mental break. You could try this on Sunday night as a preemptive measure to boost your mood and help you to sleep well.

The insights from Phraseitup:

Also, mainly on Monday, positive affirmations (QUOTES)  help to keep a person motivated and spirited. These can be repeated during commuting, in the car, on the bike, and during work too. Affirming is not only a proven practice to uplift one's mood and motivation but also has an overall positive impact on the person. Here, is a link to find out a hundred, well-curated affirmations given by famous personalities. 
Check it out: Monday Blues Quotes      

SO, LET'S MAKE THE MONDAY COLORFUL AND LET THE BLUE OUT OF IT!!!  

You may also like: Artificial intelligence