Mondays are the most dreaded day of the week and have inspired years of complaints and memes to suit. My Mondays used to be all but laugh worthy; stressful and uninspiring would be more descriptive terms of what my Mondays were like. As I sit peacefully sipping my lemon water (thought I would say tea huh? no worries, I have my tea after my lemon water, lol) and writing this post, I realize that there are some key things that I have changed in my life to also change my Mondays from worrisome to wonderful and I want to share these tips with you.
In this article, I will share 5 tips that you can also personally implement in your life to help you make Mondays wonderful! Be sure to subscribe to be automatically entered to win FREE tea/books/stuff during Tea End Blog Give-Aways. Already subscribed? Tell a friend!
Grab a pen and paper, you'll need it...
Do you know that people who write to-do lists are more likely to be successful in their endeavors than those who don’t? There’s something to writing down your thoughts and aspirations that make them that much more possible. So, grab a pencil or a pen and a piece of paper and get ready to change your Mondays!
TIP #1: PREPARE
You are more likely to be successful at something when you are prepared for it. How can you be successful at Monday mornings? Simply by preparing for them! Find what you are going to wear the night before and iron it. Doing this will probably alleviate one of the most stressful parts of Monday morning. When finding your clothing, make sure your outfit reflects how you want to feel Monday morning and not how you may feel.
Prepare what you are going to eat and be sure that it is healthy, nutritious and sustaining. I like to eat 2 boiled eggs and 1 whole avocado for breakfast with a cup of tea. Eggs can be boiled the day before and they are an excellent source of protein. If you have other responsibilities on Monday morning, then be sure to try to prepare most of them the day before and be prepared to wake up early enough to ensure that everything goes smoothly.
WRITE THIS DOWN...
Write down all of the tasks that you currently do Monday morning. Decide upon a time and day before Monday (preferably Sunday) to prepare for these tasks in advance. For the tasks that you cannot move to another day, ascertain how much time it will take you to accomplish these tasks on Monday morning and set an alarm that will provide you sufficient time.
TIP #2: ASPIRE
Mondays are usually dreaded because of all the negative things we expect to happen on this day, but what if there was at least one thing that you could look forward to? I found that aspiring to something small helped me create a more hopeful Monday and one that I could actually look forward to with joy.
Why not take up a small hobby that can be worked upon or completed in 30 minutes time? You could make Monday mornings the time that you try new teas and write notes about them. Or perhaps you can start a new book and dedicate Monday mornings to reading at least 30 minutes of it until its complete. You will have the time now that you have already prepared and ironed your clothes and made your lunch due to your impeccable preparation! Having an aspiration or something to look forward to on Monday mornings will provide you the positivity that you need at the beginning of the week.
WRITE THIS DOWN...
Jot down about 3 things that you would love to do but never found the time to do them. These aspirations will have to be either 30 minute actions or something that can be completed in 30 minute increments, after all, there’s not much time on Monday morning but there’s enough to get your day started on a positive note. Also, make sure that they are super fun and only reserved for Monday morning. Once you have these 3 things, decide which you will begin first and save the other 2 for when you have completed the first.
TIP #3: IDENTIFY YOUR STRESSORS
Now that you are prepared for Monday morning and you’ve created something to look forward to, you probably have taken care of most of your stress caused by rushing, not eating properly, or even hitting the alarm’s snooze button dreading what Monday could bring. There are still other stressors that may need your attention and your active treatment.
For example, do you dread your commute to work? Could you use Waze (this app is amazing to help you avoid traffic, I use it all the time) to make it less stressful or perhaps make a stress-free playlist to make the ride more enjoyable? What about when you get to work, are your surroundings uneventful and depressing (some offices can be quite bleak)? Could you bring a picture of your family, your pet and/or a succulent or two to liven up your space?
It’s important that you identify your stressors and take preventative action to alleviate them. At one time, I had a job that was so stressful that I packed my stuff and just left! This is very extreme, but I have done it all from walking out of an occupation to just bringing extra tea and making myself a cup mid-day to help me alleviate my stressors.
WRITE THIS DOWN...
Grab your pen and paper and jot down all the things you do not look forward to on Monday, or all the things that stress you out. Doing this will help you also identify which stressors are fabricated solely based on your disdain for Monday and which stressors are real and need attention. Once you have identified all the things that stress you out on Monday then write down what you will do about them. For example, if you hate your commute to work because you usually sit in traffic then you could either wake up earlier to avoid traffic or use an application to help you avoid traffic. During your commute, you can listen to a podcast, an audiobook, or a relaxing playlist to help you pass the time.
TIP #4: BE GRATEFUL
The fourth tip is one that requires no alarm clock, no real action, nor any preparation but it may be one of the hardest tasks to accomplish: being grateful. In my travels, I have found that it doesn’t take much for one to be appreciative for life.
People who have the least living in impoverished countries can still be found smiling from ear to ear. Gratitude is a beautiful quality because it allows you to trivialize minor woes and look past them with a more hopeful and joyful perspective. You must be grateful for Mondays because it’s another day of life. If you live in America or any other first world country then you should definitely be grateful to have all of the conveniences that can make the day-to-day that much more enjoyable.
WRITE THIS DOWN...
Every day I write in my diary and the first thing that I write is what I was grateful for in the day before. Even if the day wasn’t so great, I force myself to find the positive and doing this has really helped me to be less critical of the not so great things that happen in the days following. Take this time to write down what you were grateful for today. Each Monday keep a notepad by your bathroom sink or your bedside table and before you leave your bedroom in the morning jot down at least one reason you are grateful for this Monday. You will be surprised just how wonderful and precious Mondays really are to you when you begin to identify why you are grateful for them.
TIP #5: BE GENEROUS
Research and studies have shown that people receive greater satisfaction when they buy a gift for someone else who will appreciate it rather than buying something for themselves. There is nothing wrong with spending your money on yourself, after all, you did work for it, but there is something to be said about actively thinking of others. Giving makes us feel good and when our gifts are reciprocated with appreciation it gives us hope, joy, and inspiration.
Why not make Mondays the day that you actively give to others? It doesn’t have to be much, perhaps find someone to offer a genuine compliment. Or maybe you can try that new cookie recipe that you found in the magazine you’ve been reading Monday mornings and bring the cookies to work to share. Giving to others is a sure way to make you happy and if Mondays are the day that you are intentionally focused on giving then that means that #happymonday will become more than just a hashtag for you.
WRITE THIS DOWN...
Write down 3 simple ways that you intend to be generous for the next 3 Mondays. Is it a compliment to a specific person? Are you going to start #muffinmondays at the office? Or perhaps you will send a loving text to one of your family members. Whatever it is, make sure it’s simple and easy to accomplish, you don’t want to add stress to your Monday. Once you have completed the 3 acts of generosity, create 3 more and keep it going!
I really hope you enjoyed these 5 tips to creating better Mondays. I have implemented all of these tips in my life and because of them, I am able to write this inspirational post this very Monday! Would you like to know more of what I do or don't do to make Monday mornings wonderful? Just ask me below in the comments and I'll respond!
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What's your Monday morning routine?