How To Love Mondays?

I hate Mondays. Is there anything I can do to trick myself into loving Mondays?

– GarfieldDear Garfield,

Monday blues – now who has not heard of this?

Every one of us has experienced it at one point or another in our careers.

I believe there are many reasons behind why people feel this way about Mondays.

First, it all depends on the state of mind that they are in (mind set). It is akin the Illusory Truth Effect, where we get the positive feeling when we hear information that we believe to be true because we have heard the information before.

When enough people talk about Monday blues, it will stick!

So the truth is Monday blues could very well be “any day” blues.

Second, Emotional Drivers – something we do that achieves or fulfils our primary Emotional Driver. If our primary Emotional Drivers are not fulfilled, going to work on any day is a challenge – probably it is just particularly tougher on a Monday, since it is right after a weekend.

So the question is – are you emotionally gratified when you have to wake up to go to work – particularly on a Monday morning?

There are eight fundamental Emotional drivers and motivators and each of these is based on a human psycho-emotional need developed through environmental factors such as family, culture and stage in life.

While each of these drivers is present in each individual, they do not have equal importance.

Every individual has a different order of importance for these eight drivers.

We are constantly filling these as emotional gratifications; sometimes in positive ways, sometimes in neutral ways, and sometimes in negative ways.

But we are constantly filling them. By understanding an individual’s primary emotional drivers, we know their ultimate motivations and reasons why they do what they do.

Belonging/Love – Connection from being with others, or connection with self
Control/Security – Ability to maintain security and control in our lives
Diversity – Having variety and excitement
Recognition/Significance – Acknowledgments of our achievements; being noticed
Achievement – The need to make progress in our plans and finish things
Challenge/Growth – The need to constantly learn and grow
Excellence – Self-satisfaction and pride in all the things we do
Responsibility & Contribution – The need to contribute to others

What are your top three drivers? This could determine the reason why one would find it difficult to love Mondays.

I often hear people complain that it’s Monday.

Monday is my favourite day of the week and I don’t need to trick myself into liking Mondays as it comes naturally to me because it fulfils my primary emotional driver i.e. achievement.

For me every day is an opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life and that includes Mondays.So when Monday comes, it presents an opportunity for me to meet new clients or students, and this fulfils my primary emotional driver; hence it is a motivator.

I love my work and that is why I love Mondays. Also, because it is my own business and I really look forward to moving things daily, I look forward to Mondays.

For people who hate Mondays for a valid reason, I know I am not in your situation but I have been there before.

Perhaps you do not enjoy your work, your colleagues or your bosses and you need to constantly deal with these issues and stressors daily, only to be reminded of it all over again when it is a Monday. I get it.

Here are some pointers on how you can actively try to solve/change/overcome some of these personal reasons you may have for hating Mondays:

#1. Create something of value or connect with someone of value

You will quickly begin to look forward to Mondays once you realise that there is something to look forward to at work – someone that you want to meet, or something that you want to achieve or complete.

It is all linked to your greater passion and emotional drivers. Make a list of three things you look forward to at work this week.

This might put you in a more positive mood.

It could be that there is an interesting case waiting for you, a meeting with a client you enjoy, or maybe the start of a new project.

There are just as many things to look forward to on Mondays as there are to dread.

#2. Learn a new thing

If Learning & Growth is your driver, then go ahead and do something different that fulfils this driver.

It could be reading a book, listening to a podcast or watching a YouTube video.

A lot can be learnt from these, which will help you look forward to go to work.

#3. Be curious and set up a challenge for yourself

Question yourself constantly.

Hate your morning traffic? Try a different route or commute or timing.

Tired of your job? Challenge yourself to apply for a new job.

This might help you realise that you are not doing something that you are passionate about.

Use Mondays as a day to challenge yourself for the whole week and soon you will look forward to it.

#4. Pick a date and set a goal

Pick one goal you would like to accomplish in the not-so-distant future.

Write it on a sticky note and, stick it somewhere visible and repeat it every day starting immediately.

This statement should motivate you daily, even when it’s not Monday.

#5. Go for a walk

When you feel the urge to complain about your Monday, go for a walk instead.

Walking is not only a healthy physical activity, it’s been proven to stimulate creative thinking, boost brain power and decrease stress and anxiety.

#6. Don’t do things you hate

As much as I love Mondays, I do enjoy using my weekends to relax and recharge.

I avoid as many obligations and appointments so I can enjoy my time with my family and friends.

Do not do things that you hate (for example, having relationships with negative people, having limiting mind-sets or putting up with a difficult environment).

There are some things that you cannot eliminate completely, like paying bills or doing your daily chores.

Find a way to automate them or pay someone else to do them.

When you start to accept the reality that there are things in your life you can eliminate or reduce, the freedom of discovering what makes you truly happy follows suit.

So work on a passion – something that you look forward to and things will change.

#7. Wake up the same time every day

The reason why so many people hate Mondays is because they have to wake up early!

Learning to wake up at the same time everyday helps you to overcome the Monday morning blues as you have programmed your body to think that it is just another day.

So if you usually get up at 6am for work during the week, set your alarm for 6am on the weekends.

Believe me, the body is an amazing thing; it will adjust after accordingly after a while and Mondays will begin to feel like any other day.#8. Think about those you love