If you hate the first day of the working week you are not alone. Most people do. Some might be truly unhappy in their job and would be better off finding another profession. The majority, however, could beat their little "Monday blues" of feeling anxious and sluggish by kick-starting their week on the last day of the weekend, whether that is on Saturday or Sunday. Here are five ways to make the most of the coming week, and all the weeks that follow. Meal planning and prepping The weekend is the time to plan your meals, buy all the ingredients you need, and do some prepping. This will not only save you time on the days you work long hours or are busy with other activities, planning your meals will also help you eat more healthful by decreasing the chance you decide on a last-minute takeout or a not so wholesome meal. Get it done: Sit down and decide what meals you will cook for the entire week, then buy all the ingredients you need. Once back home, do some prepping: clean and chop your veggies, cook a large pot of rice, and make a big quantity of porridge or smoothies – enough to have breakfast for every day of the workweek. Get some sleep It is the most overlooked yet possibly most important thing you can do to kick-start your week. A good night's sleep will leave you feel energized and ready to tackle everything that needs to be done at work. Get it done: Ideally, go to bed early the night before your workweek starts. If you lack the discipline to do so or are simply unable to fall asleep early, have an afternoon nap in the weekend to catch up on some lost sleep. Avoid sleeping in or going to bed much later on the days you are off, as that messes up with your circadian rhythm. Write down your goals and actions for the week One of the reasons people loathe the first day of the week is that overwhelming feeling of having to do a trillion things. If your to-do list makes you extremely anxious, it is time to decide what your priorities are. Get it done: Sit down and go over your to-do list if you have one. What are the most important things you need to finalize this week? This applies to work goals and actions, but just as much to things that need to be done at home or with family. Depending on how big your goals and actions are, decide on maximum three major things for each area – work, household, social obligations, financial actions, etcetera. You will be surprised how much you can get done in seven days! List three things you are grateful for Remembering the small and big things in your life you are grateful for is an easy and quick way to boost your mood and forget about the Monday blues. You may feel like you have so many obligations and stressors in your life, but think about all of your blessings! Get it done: Take a few minutes to think of the things you are grateful for. It could be your health, your partner, your children, the fact that you live in a house and have enough to eat, or simply that you woke up this morning. Now write down (at least) three things. Repeat this exercise whenever you need a little reminder of the good things in your life. Plan something fun It is easier to do things you are not so excited about – such as going to work after a weekend – if you have something fun planned in the near future, either after your workday or later on in the week. Get it done: Make sure you spend some time every weekend planning for leisure activities for the following week. Think of a dinner with friends, a trip to the beach with your kids, a brunch with relatives or an after work social gathering with colleagues. Having something to look forward to makes tackling your Monday (or Sunday, for that matter) blues a breeze!
