Monday blues?
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Can’t we skip Monday and begin the week straight from Tuesday?” – asks Manoj as he wakes up on Monday hating the fact that within two hours he’ll be hanging in a jam-packed compartment, inhaling smells coming from God-knows where, getting pushed and stamped. And all this for the noble cause of getting to office.
As we all know Manoj is not alone. Since the dawn of industrialisation, poor Monday has been the object of hatred of many a harassed office-goers. For some the most difficult part is waking up to the reality of Monday and accepting the fact that this is where the whole week’s grind begins.
Once that is done, tolerance takes them to office and after that they are in to the groove before they realise what day it is. These are no doubt the blessed souls. But the rest of us who aren’t, the day itself weighs heavily on our minds and heart. And we struggle under it, somehow pulling through till the ride back home.
But worry not there are ways with which you can enjoy a Monday just as any other day of the week – well almost! Here how:
Don’t mind Mondays
Don’t keep saying ‘I hate Mondays’ or ‘Oh God it’s Monday again’. Instead try to think about the brighter things about the first day of the week. You can think of the new things that you would be doing on that day.
Dress well
Try to pick up your favourite clothes to wear for the week. Try to look your best, so as to feel your best.
Know what to expect
If you arrive at your desk every week expecting to start with a clean slate, then you’re in for a nasty surprise. Not only are you deceiving yourself, you’re also setting the scene for disappointment. Also be prepared for last minute things to do.
Begin with lighter chores
Don’t get down to big decision-making or take on major workload just as you enter, unless you really have to. Warm yourself up to the day. Begin with checking your emails and other correspondence. Clean up your desk. And sit down to do prioritise tasks for the day.
Prepare a to-do list
Jotting down your current tasks will ease your mind, as you’ll be able to move forward at a steady pace. Prepare a standard checklist, and update it with new duties that come your way. Important tasks like calling up your client or even making an important phone call should top the list.
Don’t procrastinate
Even if the list seems too long don’t be putt off. And don’t try to postpone important deals or meetings, just because you are feeling lousy that it’s Monday. In fact meetings are a great way to kill time. By the time you are finished half your Monday would be over, before you even realise. Getting it?
Finalise things on Fridays
If every Monday morning is usually hectic, then get things done on Friday. Don’t be afraid to crunch right before the weekend - clear your head of uncompleted tasks and enjoy your days off until your return.
Deal with issues as they come
Dealing with everyday problems is not something you can sit down and plan. You have to deal with these impromptu events as they come along.
Go for a midday walk
Working straight through the day is not the best way to get through your Monday. Doing so only brings down your efficiency and bogs you down mentally. Take a walk outside, eat your lunch and breathe in the fresh air.
Back to work
Besides finishing the work at hand, take some time to plan ahead for the week. At the end of the day go through the to-do list to see things you’ve done. This will help reduce amounts of future ulcers and headaches. Also add other things that you might have done that are not on your list. Give yourself a star for the work done. The sense of achievement will make Mondays look good.
Smile
If you have access to the Internet, read a joke before you call it a day. You’ll realise Monday is not all that bad after all. What say?
From China, Beijing
1--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can’t we skip Monday and begin the week straight from Tuesday?” – asks Manoj as he wakes up on Monday hating the fact that within two hours he’ll be hanging in a jam-packed compartment, inhaling smells coming from God-knows where, getting pushed and stamped. And all this for the noble cause of getting to office.
As we all know Manoj is not alone. Since the dawn of industrialisation, poor Monday has been the object of hatred of many a harassed office-goers. For some the most difficult part is waking up to the reality of Monday and accepting the fact that this is where the whole week’s grind begins.
Once that is done, tolerance takes them to office and after that they are in to the groove before they realise what day it is. These are no doubt the blessed souls. But the rest of us who aren’t, the day itself weighs heavily on our minds and heart. And we struggle under it, somehow pulling through till the ride back home.
But worry not there are ways with which you can enjoy a Monday just as any other day of the week – well almost! Here how:
Don’t mind Mondays
Don’t keep saying ‘I hate Mondays’ or ‘Oh God it’s Monday again’. Instead try to think about the brighter things about the first day of the week. You can think of the new things that you would be doing on that day.
Dress well
Try to pick up your favourite clothes to wear for the week. Try to look your best, so as to feel your best.
Know what to expect
If you arrive at your desk every week expecting to start with a clean slate, then you’re in for a nasty surprise. Not only are you deceiving yourself, you’re also setting the scene for disappointment. Also be prepared for last minute things to do.
Begin with lighter chores
Don’t get down to big decision-making or take on major workload just as you enter, unless you really have to. Warm yourself up to the day. Begin with checking your emails and other correspondence. Clean up your desk. And sit down to do prioritise tasks for the day.
Prepare a to-do list
Jotting down your current tasks will ease your mind, as you’ll be able to move forward at a steady pace. Prepare a standard checklist, and update it with new duties that come your way. Important tasks like calling up your client or even making an important phone call should top the list.
Don’t procrastinate
Even if the list seems too long don’t be putt off. And don’t try to postpone important deals or meetings, just because you are feeling lousy that it’s Monday. In fact meetings are a great way to kill time. By the time you are finished half your Monday would be over, before you even realise. Getting it?
Finalise things on Fridays
If every Monday morning is usually hectic, then get things done on Friday. Don’t be afraid to crunch right before the weekend - clear your head of uncompleted tasks and enjoy your days off until your return.
Deal with issues as they come
Dealing with everyday problems is not something you can sit down and plan. You have to deal with these impromptu events as they come along.
Go for a midday walk
Working straight through the day is not the best way to get through your Monday. Doing so only brings down your efficiency and bogs you down mentally. Take a walk outside, eat your lunch and breathe in the fresh air.
Back to work
Besides finishing the work at hand, take some time to plan ahead for the week. At the end of the day go through the to-do list to see things you’ve done. This will help reduce amounts of future ulcers and headaches. Also add other things that you might have done that are not on your list. Give yourself a star for the work done. The sense of achievement will make Mondays look good.
Smile
If you have access to the Internet, read a joke before you call it a day. You’ll realise Monday is not all that bad after all. What say?
From China, Beijing
Dear anchal,
I happened to go through your wonderful article about Monday Blues (I used to suffer from this until I read your article) but since I am based outside the country it is Sunday (which is as good as Monday here )which is the first working day here.
I would like to thank you once again for posting this wonderful article which is a real eye opener for any person suffering from the above syndrome. It was really nice!!!!!
Best Regards,
Sadashiv Rao :D
From Kuwait, Kuwait
I happened to go through your wonderful article about Monday Blues (I used to suffer from this until I read your article) but since I am based outside the country it is Sunday (which is as good as Monday here )which is the first working day here.
I would like to thank you once again for posting this wonderful article which is a real eye opener for any person suffering from the above syndrome. It was really nice!!!!!
Best Regards,
Sadashiv Rao :D
From Kuwait, Kuwait
That's a nice one!! Thanks for sharing the same here...
The next question to be thought over is what is this got to do HR?
Every day..i stand outside Churchgate station( Mumbai) for a minute to have a smoke( yeah am cutting it down..) n observe the people coming out..watch their expressions & body language..tells you a lot...
Besides the tips mentioned in the above article...
HR should re-look at the employees entering the office/factory..
Change Monday's Blues - Monday's is a great day...by way of -
* Sending a a good joke on email to all...
* impromptu get -togther to celebrate the occassions like bday or wedding anniversary..first thing in the morning..rather than in evening..for ten minutes...
* Those who are overloaded or in pressure- analyse the work style..send them to Time Management Programs..
* Seniors Management - To be enlightened that they are the ones who have the ability to dispel the Monday blues - ensure that the employees come to work with loads of enthusisasm..by setting personal example..which would ensure higher productivity..
Cheers,
Rajat
From India, Pune
The next question to be thought over is what is this got to do HR?
Every day..i stand outside Churchgate station( Mumbai) for a minute to have a smoke( yeah am cutting it down..) n observe the people coming out..watch their expressions & body language..tells you a lot...
Besides the tips mentioned in the above article...
HR should re-look at the employees entering the office/factory..
Change Monday's Blues - Monday's is a great day...by way of -
* Sending a a good joke on email to all...
* impromptu get -togther to celebrate the occassions like bday or wedding anniversary..first thing in the morning..rather than in evening..for ten minutes...
* Those who are overloaded or in pressure- analyse the work style..send them to Time Management Programs..
* Seniors Management - To be enlightened that they are the ones who have the ability to dispel the Monday blues - ensure that the employees come to work with loads of enthusisasm..by setting personal example..which would ensure higher productivity..
Cheers,
Rajat
From India, Pune
Namaskar. Activation level of body goes up and down. this is normal and natural phenomenon called biorhythm. It becomes a problem when one gets incapacitated or deviates from routine. regards
From India, Delhi
From India, Delhi
Namakar Mahanta,
Well...i don't agree entirely with you that this is related to biorythm...Monday blues as pointed as mentioned gotto do with the attitude & how the leaders effectively manage and motivate their employees.
Many companies are mired in poor performance because their employees are not working as effectively as they could be. But ironically, the problem does not stem from the employees; these problems are all symptomatic of leadership deficiencies. In many cases, it is the manager that holds the smoking gun.
Biorythm as we understand got to do our body..viz..
They are just cycles of human abilities. You cannot expect that every day you will have the same strength, mood, intelligence or hunches. Other factors left out, you can notice that your abilities cycle; that is, they go up and down in specific fixed intervals.
BIORYTHM is an efficient human biorhythm displaying program with 4 curves. Each curve is a sine wave which represents the rise and fall of a specific human ability. The 4 curves are:
Physical (stamina, basic body functions).
Emotional (moods, mental stability, sensitivity).
Intellectual (mental capabilities).
Intuitional (unconscious perception, hunches, instincts, sixth sense).
Here the analysis is done when these curves meet at a point where invariably make mistakes...
Widely used with in industries where human beings are intensively used possibly affecting the large number of people.. Commercial pilots fly...
Coming further to Monday Blues..take a look at this
Are you still hoping and waiting for someone somewhere to come to your rescue, wave a magic wand and instantaneously change your life for the better?
Are you praying that you will one day win the lottery and dramatically alter the financial quality of your life?
Are you sitting behind your desk, daydreaming and hoping to one day rise to the top level of management without much effort and hard work?
Are you hiding in the background, silently praying and hoping that you will find favor, get noticed and be thrust into the limelight of your destiny?
If you are tired of hoping and endlessly waiting for something positive to happen or someone to come to your rescue, make a deliberate decision today to take charge of your own life and begin to lead a fulfilled and productive life.
Four things to consider as you decide to change your life for the better.
1. Value yourself.
Value yourself, your life and your time. Value what you represent. Don’t compromise what you are worth for anything. Your current position may not accurately define who you are, but if you place a high value on yourself, you will not only have greater expectations for yourself, but also be open to more possibilities and opportunities.
People who place a high value on themselves can confidently walk into any arena of success and take their place comfortably. They fit right in because this is what they have been waiting for their whole lives and they know that they deserve it!
2. Take responsibility for your own destiny.
Be practical and stop expecting other people to rescue you from your current distress. People can only do so much…the rest is up to you and your God given abilities and resolve. Get rid of the dependency syndrome! It incapacitates and blinds you from doing great things with your life and getting the success you so much yearn for.
If you are not going to be the recipient of a large inheritance or if you have not yet won the lottery, begin to do the right thing by charting your own road map to success and working intelligently, meticulously and persistently to achieve your success.
3. STOP doing what does not work!
If you desire to change your life for the better…take a minute to consider specific aspects of your life over the last three years. Have you seen any improvement in your business? Have you lost weight? Are you still working at the same place that stifles your creative abilities? Are you still in the dreaming phase of that project you wanted to accomplish? Are you still procrastinating about going back to school? Are you still doing the same things that produce unproductive and dissatisfying results?
How much longer can you keep doing the same things that don’t work? You only have one life to live and if you plan to live a fulfilled life, stop doing what doesn’t work, start doing the things that work and change your life for the better.
4. Take a definite tangible action step today!
Changing your life for the better means doing something today that produces results! If you can’t take radical steps, take small deliberate steps towards the change you desire. One of the greatest impediments to success is procrastination. It is so often used as an excuse for inaction to the point that it has become so mind-numbing!
No one wants to hear that the only reason why you have not managed to turn your idea into reality is because you have been procrastinating! People want to stand and cheer for the doer and the achiever who has taken positive steps to improve the quality of their lives. These are the inspiring stories that we read about everyday and you too can be that story.
Cheers,
Rajat
From India, Pune
Well...i don't agree entirely with you that this is related to biorythm...Monday blues as pointed as mentioned gotto do with the attitude & how the leaders effectively manage and motivate their employees.
Many companies are mired in poor performance because their employees are not working as effectively as they could be. But ironically, the problem does not stem from the employees; these problems are all symptomatic of leadership deficiencies. In many cases, it is the manager that holds the smoking gun.
Biorythm as we understand got to do our body..viz..
They are just cycles of human abilities. You cannot expect that every day you will have the same strength, mood, intelligence or hunches. Other factors left out, you can notice that your abilities cycle; that is, they go up and down in specific fixed intervals.
BIORYTHM is an efficient human biorhythm displaying program with 4 curves. Each curve is a sine wave which represents the rise and fall of a specific human ability. The 4 curves are:
Physical (stamina, basic body functions).
Emotional (moods, mental stability, sensitivity).
Intellectual (mental capabilities).
Intuitional (unconscious perception, hunches, instincts, sixth sense).
Here the analysis is done when these curves meet at a point where invariably make mistakes...
Widely used with in industries where human beings are intensively used possibly affecting the large number of people.. Commercial pilots fly...
Coming further to Monday Blues..take a look at this
Are you still hoping and waiting for someone somewhere to come to your rescue, wave a magic wand and instantaneously change your life for the better?
Are you praying that you will one day win the lottery and dramatically alter the financial quality of your life?
Are you sitting behind your desk, daydreaming and hoping to one day rise to the top level of management without much effort and hard work?
Are you hiding in the background, silently praying and hoping that you will find favor, get noticed and be thrust into the limelight of your destiny?
If you are tired of hoping and endlessly waiting for something positive to happen or someone to come to your rescue, make a deliberate decision today to take charge of your own life and begin to lead a fulfilled and productive life.
Four things to consider as you decide to change your life for the better.
1. Value yourself.
Value yourself, your life and your time. Value what you represent. Don’t compromise what you are worth for anything. Your current position may not accurately define who you are, but if you place a high value on yourself, you will not only have greater expectations for yourself, but also be open to more possibilities and opportunities.
People who place a high value on themselves can confidently walk into any arena of success and take their place comfortably. They fit right in because this is what they have been waiting for their whole lives and they know that they deserve it!
2. Take responsibility for your own destiny.
Be practical and stop expecting other people to rescue you from your current distress. People can only do so much…the rest is up to you and your God given abilities and resolve. Get rid of the dependency syndrome! It incapacitates and blinds you from doing great things with your life and getting the success you so much yearn for.
If you are not going to be the recipient of a large inheritance or if you have not yet won the lottery, begin to do the right thing by charting your own road map to success and working intelligently, meticulously and persistently to achieve your success.
3. STOP doing what does not work!
If you desire to change your life for the better…take a minute to consider specific aspects of your life over the last three years. Have you seen any improvement in your business? Have you lost weight? Are you still working at the same place that stifles your creative abilities? Are you still in the dreaming phase of that project you wanted to accomplish? Are you still procrastinating about going back to school? Are you still doing the same things that produce unproductive and dissatisfying results?
How much longer can you keep doing the same things that don’t work? You only have one life to live and if you plan to live a fulfilled life, stop doing what doesn’t work, start doing the things that work and change your life for the better.
4. Take a definite tangible action step today!
Changing your life for the better means doing something today that produces results! If you can’t take radical steps, take small deliberate steps towards the change you desire. One of the greatest impediments to success is procrastination. It is so often used as an excuse for inaction to the point that it has become so mind-numbing!
No one wants to hear that the only reason why you have not managed to turn your idea into reality is because you have been procrastinating! People want to stand and cheer for the doer and the achiever who has taken positive steps to improve the quality of their lives. These are the inspiring stories that we read about everyday and you too can be that story.
Cheers,
Rajat
From India, Pune
Namaskar Rajat ji, I am very happy to read your reply to my post. But as I am busy in my programme this week, I can post the detail reply next week only. Wish all the best with you. regards
From India, Delhi
From India, Delhi
Namaskar Rajat ji.
Got a slot. So let me reply.
So you want to say that monday blues are more than normal and deserve attention. Managers by changing the attitudes and motivations can prevent/remove mondy blues. On the first observation I have nothing to say but the second deserves discussion.
An assistant commissioner of police(ACP), M. Tech. falls asleep while on duty. He is very much concerned. On a holiday he went on searching the locality where I live to get help to get rid of the problem. It can not be said that said that he has no favourable attitude for police job. It can not be said that he lacks motivation. But it is very clear that his biorhythms are unfavourably involuntary.
Biorhythms, like mareket prices, are countless. Also just like market prices they go up and down. In the present case of the ACP we can safely say that at least(repeat at least) the brain wave frequencies are going down and serotonin level is going above the optimum level.
To work comfortably as soon as one intends to take up the job at the minimum the brain wave frequencies, adrenaline, thyroxine, dopamine must come to the optimum level as required by job . If these are below the optimum level, the result is blues(as you say that these blues are above normal level and deserve attention)
regards
1.
From India, Delhi
Got a slot. So let me reply.
So you want to say that monday blues are more than normal and deserve attention. Managers by changing the attitudes and motivations can prevent/remove mondy blues. On the first observation I have nothing to say but the second deserves discussion.
An assistant commissioner of police(ACP), M. Tech. falls asleep while on duty. He is very much concerned. On a holiday he went on searching the locality where I live to get help to get rid of the problem. It can not be said that said that he has no favourable attitude for police job. It can not be said that he lacks motivation. But it is very clear that his biorhythms are unfavourably involuntary.
Biorhythms, like mareket prices, are countless. Also just like market prices they go up and down. In the present case of the ACP we can safely say that at least(repeat at least) the brain wave frequencies are going down and serotonin level is going above the optimum level.
To work comfortably as soon as one intends to take up the job at the minimum the brain wave frequencies, adrenaline, thyroxine, dopamine must come to the optimum level as required by job . If these are below the optimum level, the result is blues(as you say that these blues are above normal level and deserve attention)
regards
1.
From India, Delhi
Rajat,
Read this post today only after a week's off from civilization.
The monday blues which can be found standing in front of Churchgate station is absolutely understandable considering the travelling blues in Mumbai. 23 years back when I started working (my career started in Bombay), I used to feel absolutely miserable on monday morning - getting into the 7.28 local from Vasai and travelling all the way down to Dadar and most of the time standing and then getting into a bus and reaching office. This monday blues has got nothing to do with (in my opinion) what Dr has explained.
Today after being out of Mumbai since the last 19 years, I do not feel any great monday blues.
Thanks
Bala
From India, Madras
Read this post today only after a week's off from civilization.
The monday blues which can be found standing in front of Churchgate station is absolutely understandable considering the travelling blues in Mumbai. 23 years back when I started working (my career started in Bombay), I used to feel absolutely miserable on monday morning - getting into the 7.28 local from Vasai and travelling all the way down to Dadar and most of the time standing and then getting into a bus and reaching office. This monday blues has got nothing to do with (in my opinion) what Dr has explained.
Today after being out of Mumbai since the last 19 years, I do not feel any great monday blues.
Thanks
Bala
From India, Madras
Hi Bala,
As you rightly said that Monday Blues has got nothing to Mumbai as such..it was a general observation..am sure it must be prevalent in other cities as well...
Monday blues in a nutshell..is about the passion for the work the people do!! One way to check this if there is unscheduled disruption like water logging in Mumbai which made transportation difficult..how many actually were really keen to come to work or regret for the unscheduled holiday !! is what makes a difference..
Cheers,
Rajat
From India, Pune
As you rightly said that Monday Blues has got nothing to Mumbai as such..it was a general observation..am sure it must be prevalent in other cities as well...
Monday blues in a nutshell..is about the passion for the work the people do!! One way to check this if there is unscheduled disruption like water logging in Mumbai which made transportation difficult..how many actually were really keen to come to work or regret for the unscheduled holiday !! is what makes a difference..
Cheers,
Rajat
From India, Pune
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