That Monday Morning Feeling
Although not a scientific phrase, Monday morning anxiety describes the feeling of being overly agitated and apprehensive at the beginning of the week. You have extreme stress and anxiety in the morning, which is comparable to the symptoms of a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
The first 45 minutes after you wake up in the morning are when you have the highest levels of cortisol, or the stress hormone, in your body. Reading the news, racing to get ready for the workweek, or even a combination of these hormonal spikes and the worrisome amount of emails can fuel up the day.
That feeling of weight in the pit of your stomach as Sunday evenings come to a close has a scientific basis. Naturally, our internal clocks run on days that are longer than 24 hours. Every week, by the time Monday arrives, we’ve accumulated a sleep deficit of at least one hour. Additionally, the numerous late nights and weekend celebrations don’t help.
You begin getting ready for Monday even before the weekend officially starts. Avoid the impulse to put off tasks until Monday. It will make Mondays a little bit easier to handle, but you’ll undoubtedly feel like the new office martyr. So that you may enjoy the weekend sans tossing and turning on Sunday night worrying about the things you’ve forgotten to accomplish, make a to-do list for the upcoming week while things are still fresh in your mind.
Dive in and discover your way of combating some Monday anxiety!
-
Relax and Rejuvenate
The differing sleep habits and way of living on Saturdays and Sundays are primarily to blame for a portion of Monday morning anxiety. Having fun or making an effort to engage in activities that make you happy is crucial, but you also need to maintain a healthy balance. You’ll be able to relax while still having fun or continuing with your regular schedule over the weekend.
Try to make the most of your weekend by engaging in activities or, if feasible, traveling if doing so brings you joy and peace of mind and reduces your tension. So that you can start the following Monday with a cheerful disposition, end your Sunday in a happy mood.
-
Unplug
You should pause and consider establishing firmer boundaries between work and leisure if you find yourself worrying about job-related difficulties, meeting deadlines, or over-scheduling your week on weekends. If you’re having Monday blues or worry, it’s time to adjust your priority list.
Weekends should be spent unwinding, not working, therefore you should stop immediately to avoid burnout if you find yourself frequently checking emails, answering your phone, or worrying about what will happen on Monday.
-
Correcting sleeping patterns
Getting adequate sleep, especially on weekends, is one of the most effective strategies to combat those worrisome thoughts that you can have first thing in the morning. Get those eight hours of luxury sleep if you can.
On Saturdays, don’t stay up late or get up late on Sundays. You’ll feel more energized and rejuvenated on Mondays if you can get enough rest and sleep on Sundays. Try to get yourself involved in some mentally and physically engaging activities so you can obtain the rest you need to be refreshed for Monday.
-
Take it easy on Mondays
Avoid scheduling important meetings and work for Mondays. When you have a tonne of work to accomplish after a weekend of vacation, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. For a change, try to start with simpler jobs and skip the more difficult ones.
Instead, assign the work that requires attention to Tuesday and Wednesday; this will reduce your tension and better prepare you for the larger tasks that will come later.
Planning ahead and avoiding saving up unfinished business for the following week will also help you to avoid stressing about a busy schedule.
-
Most important meal of the day
Since your stomach often affects your mood, waking up on an empty stomach can make you feel bad. To get over the Monday blahs and have a better start to the day, you may always head out to your preferred café or make your preferred breakfast at home.
It’s important to have a hearty breakfast to get your day started since it offers you something to look forward to and keeps you going as you ease back into your weekly schedule.
Conclusion
The idea is not to combat a day in the week of what is. Rather the idea is to tackle the need of resisting from the very beginning of every week. There are ways to look forward to even the most untoward things and Monday needs to be the one thing on your list that makes you jump out of your bed for the sheer gratitude of being able to wake up to a new day, having a job, having a purpose or if not then merely being a part of the journey of discovering one.
This article aims to be your reminder to first look after yourself and your mental health to prepare yourself for anything that makes you anxious and then remember to fill it with fun and joy. Also, big and difficult tasks don’t need to be completed on the very same day, remember that!
