How to Get over the Monday Morning Blues

There's nothing quite like Monday morning. The wave of anticipation on the first day of the work week. The weekend seemed to fly by. Where did the time go?

If you are like the majority of society, going back to work after the weekend can be painful. It's unfortunate that we live in a world where people feel this way. It may be an indication there are a lot of people doing a job they dislike. Or perhaps we are working too hard and Monday morning signals the start of the roller coaster. Whatever it is, there is something dark about the Monday morning blues. Maybe you even get them Sunday. Whatever the case, here are a few strategies you can implement to improve your Monday morning blues:

1. Don't drink too much over the weekend. Especially on Sunday's. It's Fall and it is Football season. There's never been an easier excuse to drink on a Sunday than right now. Instead of drinking alcohol for the big game, consider another beverage. If you can limit drinking on the weekends to a minimum, your Monday morning will thank you. You don't have to go completely sober but reducing your consumption will help you get through the blues. Alcohol is a depressant. Experiencing withdrawals Monday morning is painful.

2. Workout hard Monday morning. Imagine waking up Monday morning and crushing a workout. The workout eases the anxiety. It gives your brain an opportunity to decompress. Before going to work, carve out some time to hit the gym. Write down your workout the night before. Combine cardio, weights, and calisthenics for a full body workout. There is nothing better than starting the work week with an intense workout. Once you step into the office you'll be ready to conquer the day. You've already conquered your body.

3. Meditate. In addition to going to the gym, find some time to meditate. It doesn't have to be for very long. I shoot for five to ten minutes. It's hard to sit down and be alone with your thoughts. Studies have proven that meditation can impact levels of anxiety and depression. The Monday morning blues are anxiety. There are plenty of mobile apps or YouTube videos that cover the foundations of meditation. Put yourself in a healthy head-space, you will be preparing your mind for what's to come.

4. Have a Monday goal. What do you want to accomplish the first day of the work week? Whatever it is, write it down. Maybe you want to finish that report you were tasked to do but procrastinated till the last minute. Or maybe you want to spend an hour reading a journal on an important thought leadership discovery in your field. You may have a goal of getting up early to workout and meditate. Whatever it is, write it down and hold yourself accountable.

5. Eat better. Sometimes I would wake up Monday morning feeling like I gained ten pounds over the weekend. All the hard work I did in the gym Monday through Friday dissolved the last evening of the work week. If I would have made smarter eating choices, I would not feel out of sync with my mind. Most people eat the worse over the weekend. I know I did. If you combine healthy eating with a workout regime, imagine what your Monday morning would look like?

6. Stop the Monday morning water cooler talk. If you've worked in an office you've heard the following from coworkers: "Is it Friday yet?" or "Almost to the weekend," or "the weekend flew by, where did all the time go," or "ughhh it's Monday." We've heard it all before. If you are new to the workforce you may have started noticing how everyone in the office lives for the weekend. Don't engage in this behavior. It's harmless but it sets the wrong tone for the week. If a coworker says something like this, smile and nod, but don't feed into it! People love to complain. Monday mornings could be a lot easier if everyone had the right attitude.

7. Keep the momentum going. I've noticed that when you stop working on anything intellectually stimulating over the weekend, it can be difficult to get your brain moving Monday morning. Use the weekend to keep your brain in the game. I'm not saying you need to do work work. What I am saying is that if you can work on a personal project, Monday morning may be easier. Maintaining the momentum throughout the weekend will compound Monday morning. It will feel like you haven't missed a beat. I noticed a considerable change when I started spending time on passion projects over the weekend. Whatever it is, use your free time as a creative outlet.

Monday's don't have to be painful. It takes a few hours to get into the swing of things. The momentum of the week gains speed as the hours progress. Don't let your coworkers bring you down. Have a positive attitude and be an example. Try not to give into the complainers and negative Nancy's. Monday isn't Friday, but that doesn't mean you can't treat it like one.