Photo from Brad Cerenzia on Flickr
Most of us are probably looking at our calendars at some point on Sunday just to make sure you have a handle on the week ahead. Based on how your calendar looks, it’s normal to have some weeks where you wonder if you retire right now, how long will my savings last? However, if you’re finding that on most Sundays you’re already sad about having to go to work the next day, you might be one of the people that has a “Case of the Mondays” every week. So what can you do to avoid the Monday blues?
Know your sleep schedule
Sleep specialist, Dr. Michael Breus, has been able to break up the entire human population into four different types of sleepers. The four types of sleepers are dolphins, bears, wolves or lions. If you are a wolf, your body is inclined to wake up later and you get your best work done in the evening. However, according to Dr. Breus, if you are a lion, you’ll be inclined to wake up early and go to bed early. You can read about all four types of sleepers here. Knowing if you’re a wolf or a lion can impact how you might want to structure your day to get the most out of it. For instance, if you know you’ll struggle to get out of bed at 5am, drag along all morning, and won’t hit your stride until lunch time, think about how your schedule is affecting your mood, productivity and overall satisfaction with your performance. If your schedule has any room for flexibility, adjust as possible, and see if it helps with your overall outlook on work, home and life after hours.
Give yourself some time
If your sleep routine is at the heart of your Monday blues, try to structure your day around when you know you’re most inclined to need time alone, want time to socialize, and will be most likely to get your busywork out of the way. It’s not always possible to give yourself the time you need, but try to carve out the time in your day you need for yourself to get the most out of your time in the office and out of the office.
Evaluate how long you’ve been feeling this way
Have you been making changes to your schedule or lifestyle, and you’re still dreading going to work on Monday? Do you know how long you’ve been feeling this way? There is not a defined point to diagnose whether you should start looking for an opportunity. For example, because you’ve dreaded going to work for 12 weeks, not 11 weeks, you should start looking for something new. The tipping point of feeling like you need something new happens at a different time for each person, and the particular incident or circumstance leading you to feel this way is likely different from person to person. However, if you can identify with one of the 13 things on this list, it’s probably time to update your LinkedIn profile.
Reach out to your network
Once you’ve updated your LinkedIn profile, start reaching out to the people in your network that you want to talk to about what you’re looking to do next. Ideally, you’ve been keeping in touch with your network, and they won’t be surprised when you reach out to them with news that you’re looking for something new. In addition, reach out to a recruiter you’ve worked with in the past, or someone new that you’ve recently been introduced to, and confide your reasons for wanting to explore other options.
Give yourself something to look forward to. . .
If you’re feeling like Monday is only one part of the problem because there are four other days in the week that you have to go to work, you’re not having much fun. Do your best to give yourself something to look forward to each day. It can be something small, like scheduling lunch with a friend in the middle of your week, or treating yourself to coffee two mornings a week, things that don’t take a lot of resources, but will brighten your days. If you haven’t already carved out some time in your schedule for a hobby or something you enjoy, make sure to get that on your radar to make it a priority. If work is the only thing in your life that is taking up your time, effort and energy, it’s time to put some time back into your week for something that isn’t focused on the office.
If your anxiety level is off the charts every Sunday night when you think about going to work on Monday, it doesn’t have to be that way. We can be a resource to help you pinpoint why you’re feeling this way, and help get you exploring other opportunities. Just being able to understand how you’re feeling, and knowing what you want to change will help you take action to avoid the dread you’re feeling on Sunday nights. But it does start with you. You do have to be proactive, you do have to talk to someone. Know that no one wants you to feel this way, and you can do something about it. Make these five pieces of advice go to work for you, and before you know, your “Case of the Mondays” will be a thing of the past.