We’ve all been there. It’s Monday morning, and all we want to do is stay in bed and ignore our alarms. But we can’t. Queue in the Monday blues! We do the absolute minimum to get ourselves up and out the door for another work week. It’s a grueling and never-ending cycle. You can’t help but ask: why do we always especially feel so drained on a Monday?
There is a way to get rid of the Monday blues, and all it takes is a bit of motivation and dedication. A common mistake that we are all guilty of making is not preparing ourselves properly to welcome the new week. That unpreparedness is what causes our Monday blues. Sure, everybody doesn’t want to think about work in any capacity on the weekend, and we’d much rather do things to relax and pamper ourselves. However, preparing our minds to accept what the coming week can bring can do so much in setting the tone for the weekdays to come.
Once you’ve prepared yourself and your mindset right for the coming week, then congratulations! You’re now one step closer to having a better Monday morning. The next step is forming good morning habits that will help motivate you and keep you energized each day. Here are some of them that you could start incorporating into your daily routine.
The Night Before
Okay, okay, we did say morning habits. However, the nighttime routine plays a significant part in preparing for it.
It’s pretty simple what you have to do. Just sleep early, that’s it. It’s understandable if that might not be a simple task for some, so it’s best to develop good nighttime routines that can help you. Avoid using your phone at least thirty minutes before your target sleep schedule. Keep your mind free from any thoughts, and allow yourself a few minutes of silence to set the mood. If you’re the type who can’t sleep in complete silence, try playing white noise or relaxing sounds in the background.
Whatever it is you think could help you get to bed on time consistently, do it. A good night’s sleep every night can go a long way in improving your mood, which can lead to a good day, and ultimately a good week.
Early Bird
If you’re used to waking up in the morning at an hour that leaves you just enough time to make it to work in a zip, then you’re familiar with the unsettling feeling of procrastination.
When you don’t have extra free time in the morning before going to work, you’re most likely to start your day stressed out. It’s a butterfly effect that begins with you constantly checking the time on your commute, followed by not having enough time to settle down and acclimate yourself back into your working environment. Try waking up earlier and see how good it feels to have extra time in the pocket.
You could start easy and wake up 10 to 15 minutes earlier than your usual time in the morning. And when you’re ready, you can even try waking up 30 minutes or a whole hour earlier, providing even more time in the morning for other things without a worry.
Fuel Your Mind and Body
Because of today’s fast-paced environment, nearly 1/4 of the American population skips breakfast. But if you take our advice—sleep early and wake up early—then you’ll have enough time for food in the morning. It’s never a good idea to skip breakfast. Food is fuel for both our mind and body. Without it, sustaining high productivity levels throughout the day becomes very difficult. It’s best never to skip breakfast.
Breakfast with a good balance of protein, carbs, healthy fats, and fiber will do wonders in providing you with energy in the morning. If you need that extra kick, a cup of brewed coffee is a great and healthy way to supercharge your day.
Peace and Quiet
Another good morning habit is setting aside some quiet time every day. Take a couple of minutes in the morning to meditate, stretch, or clear your mind of things you don’t need to think about today, helping you keep calm. It can help you become more efficient and productive at work.
A calm mind eliminates unnecessary thoughts and worries that you might have, which means you won’t waste energy thinking about meaningless things. It leaves you with more energy to get work done.
Final Thoughts
The Monday blues are the worst, but there are many ways to beat it. However, it all starts with you. Keep these tips and morning habits in your daily routine, and you’ll quickly wonder why you never found out about them sooner.
