Monday morning anxiety

5 Ways To Deal With Monday Morning Anxiety

Do you get the drowning feeling when Monday morning comes around the corner? Do you also dread the workload and the deadlines that need to be met instead of enjoying your Sundays?

Monday mornings can be stressful if you have to return to work or school after a long weekend; even if you love your job, it can be quite a jarring experience to work on Mondays if you have anxiety.

Feeling anxious and exhausted every Monday? You're not alone. This article will help you learn more about Monday morning anxiety and a few ways you can cope with it.

What Is Monday Morning Anxiety?

Monday morning anxiety is not a scientific term, but it is quite common, and it refers to the state of waking up all stressed and anxious at the start of the week. It is similar to the characteristics of a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), where you feel an excessive amount of stress and anxiety in the morning.

The cortisol or stress hormone in your body is highest during the first 45 minutes of you waking up in the morning. When you combine these hormonal spikes with the alarming numbers of emails, reading the news, or even rushing to get ready for the workweek can rev up the day.

Again, what makes waking up on Monday mornings so hard is your lifestyle transition. You often leave behind all your normal eating, sleeping, and exercise routines on Fridays, and the sudden change can make you anxious.

Why Do You Feel Anxious On A Monday Morning?

The transition from a relaxing, fun-filled weekend to an unpleasant work week on Monday mornings can be quite stressful, making you anxious. Monday blues can affect your mental and physical health and make you feel sluggish. The adrenal glands release the "stress hormone" cortisol in response to stress or fear.

“Your Monday morning thoughts set the tone for your whole week. See yourself getting stronger, and living a fulfilling, happier and healthier life.” —Germany Kent

Early in the morning, what you eat and drink can also contribute to a higher level of anxiety. If you drink a cup of coffee first thing in the morning, the caffeine will increase your cortisol levels, and if you don't get enough hours of sleep on Sunday night, worried about what's going to happen the next day, you'll probably wake up anxious in the morning.

These are just some of the many reasons you might feel anxious or get an anxiety attack on the first day of the week. It can be difficult to switch from a relaxed day to a busy one.

Suggested Read : 10 Ways To Cope With Blue Monday In The Workplace

Symptoms of Monday Morning Anxiety

Suggested Read : 21 Positive Thinking Ideas For A Workplace To Encourage.

How Can You Stop Getting Anxious On Monday Morning?

Feeling anxious on Monday can set a negative impact on your mood for the entire week. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is important by not overindulging in anything on weekends. Personal time is crucial for you to prepare yourself for all the due work that is lying ahead of you.

“It’s Monday. Get a new perspective. Whatever obstacle you’re facing—it’s not permanent.” —Unknown

Even if you're having a hard time starting the week on a positive note, you should try to take a 30-minute break or pause to give yourself the time to experience what you're feeling or what is making you anxious.

It has also been found that the productivity of workers is at its all-time low on Mondays. With people being up to 30% less productive on a Monday, it is shown they often only manage 3.5 hours of work throughout the day.

5 Ways To Beat Monday Morning Anxiety

Here are five effective ways you can try to boost your motivation and start the week with a more positive outlook -

1. Relax And Rejuvenate Yourself Over The Weekend

Part of Monday blues or waking up anxious on Monday morning is mostly because of the different sleep patterns and lifestyles on Saturdays and Sundays. It is important to have fun or try to do activities that make you happy, but at the same time, you need to keep a balance. It will help you unwind while letting to have fun or maintain your routines over the weekend.

Try to make the most of your weekend doing activities or traveling if possible if that helps you destress and gives you joy and peace of mind. End your Sunday with a happy state of mind so that you can wake up the next Monday morning with a positive outlook.

2. Disconnect And Revamp Over The Weekend

If you see yourself stressing over work-related issues or meeting deadlines, or over-scheduling your week on weekends, you need to pause and think about setting stricter boundaries between work and play. Monday blues or anxiety is your call to make some changes to your priority list.

Weekends are meant to relax and not for work, so if you catch yourself constantly checking emails, picking up your phone, or dreading what's going to happen on Monday, you stop right there to prevent burnout.

Try to unplug yourself from work-related problems by turning off your email notifications on Fridays and focusing on your time.

3. Do Not Mess With Your Sleep Pattern

It might sound basic, but it is one of the most effective ways to beat those anxious thoughts that you might get first thing in the morning, i.e., enough sleep, especially on weekends. If possible, try to get those 8 hours of luxury sleep.

Avoid waking up late on Sundays or going late to bed on Saturdays. If you can get proper rest and sleep on Sunday, you'll feel more energized and refreshed on Mondays. Try to engage yourself with some stimulating physical activities that will further help you get the amount of sleep required to recharge your body to face Monday again.

Remember, good sleep can help you get away with many mental health woes.

Missing out on the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep can make you more anxious and depressed.

Suggested Read : How Sleep Deprivation Affects Work Performance

4. Do Not Overbook Your Mondays

Don't book your Mondays with big meetings and tasks. It is common to feel overwhelmed when you have tons of work to do after a weekend of relaxation. Try to avoid doing the big ones for a change and start with easy tasks.

Instead, delegate your concentration-filled work to Tuesday and Wednesday, and it will make you feel less stressed and prepare you for the big ones later on.

Also, avoid worrying about a packed schedule by planning ahead and not piling up pending tasks for the next week.

Suggested Read : 11 Mindful Monday Tips To Re-Activate Your Best Self At Work

5. Treat Yourself To A Healthy Breakfast

Generally, your mood is influenced by your gut, so waking up with an empty stomach can disrupt your mood. You can always go out to your favorite cafe or cook your favorite breakfast to beat the Monday blues for a more positive start to the day.

It is crucial to start your day off with a good breakfast since it gives you something to look forward to and keeps you energized as you ease back into your weekly routine.

Mondays are the most sleep-deprived day. According to scientists, the extra sleep you get on a weekend makes you worse off on a Monday, as it throws off your biological clock. When you wake up early on Monday, it’s more of a shock than waking up on any other weekday.

Summing It Up

Face your fears. Live with uncertainty. Take control of your life.

As a result, anxiety symptoms are difficult to avoid and are made worse by the added Monday blues. However, even though these symptoms can get extremely uncomfortable and overwhelming, they are highly treatable with the right mindset and treatment.

Even though you cannot automatically shut down your anxiety attack, you can tame it and deal with it better by acknowledging it and taking more time to focus on yourself to deal with it.

I hope this article helped you overcome Monday morning anxiety and face the week with a more positive outlook. If you continue to feel the same for the rest of the day, you may want to combine professional treatment with self-care strategies to calm your anxiety and feel more hopeful.

6 Ways to Overcome Monday Morning Anxiety

You are no doubt familiar with the drowning feeling when another Monday morning comes around the corner. However, starting a new week feeling down is not doing you any good. Here are six tips to boost your motivation and start the new week with a positive outlook.

1. Take Advantage of the Weekend

Weekends are great, for many reasons. You have plenty of time to do plenty of things. PageGroup Marketing and Communications Executive Tugce Gulsoy says: “Use the weekends the most effective way possible for you, so you will start Monday already with pleasant mood. Do something you really enjoy, full-fills your mind and spirit. Choose at least one activity to do at the weekends, which gives true joy and peace to you. Two full days are not so short, they are enough to let you even travel. Take advantage of at least some of this time. End Sunday with an entertaining movie or a relaxing book at night. A happier you will wake up in the Monday morning”

2.

Start Week Refreshed

Sounds basic, but many of us underestimates the importance of having a regular sleep pattern. Avoid waking up very late on Saturdays and especially Sundays. Again, try to use your weekends wisely: on top of the activities you enjoy, also take some time to unwind and recharge. If you can, go to bed early on Sunday. A good rest can make a big difference on your Monday morning. “Also consider the power of physical activity for your overall wellbeing. It does not have to be an intense work-out or cardio session. Even a small walk to the office or some stretching before getting prepared for the work, can do the trick, circulate blood flow, enhances oxygen intake and improve your mood and physical wellness ”Gulsoy adds.

3. Remember Your Purpose

On your way to work on Monday morning, think about the reasons you do your work. What makes you care about this job? To feel completely satisfied, it should be more than your salary and side benefits, like company car and the mobile.

If you have trouble finding anything, go back to when you first started your career. Why did you choose this job in the first place?

If a strong sense of purpose is missing, it is worth searching for ways to gain it back. Maybe you should take on a challenge, a new task or project to re-gain your motivation.

4. Think About your Future

Use Monday morning to think about where you are at in your career now and where you want to be in future. Ask yourself questions like: What is my ultimate goal? What steps do I need to take to reach there on a daily- basis?

Having clear and achievable goals are essential to your satisfaction in the here and now. You will see that it is easier to manage daily tasks if you remember why you are doing so.

Your employer should also support and show you the options available to you in order to progress within the organization. Having said that, you still need to be proactive and seek out opportunities such as training, development, and promotions. Tugce Gulsoy suggests constantly following up the company news and notices from your local HR, Talent Development or Internal Communications departments. They have the most up-to-date information about these opportunities. “Also remember to check-up on the company platforms like Intranet and Yammer on a regular-basis to stay up-to-date with the opportunities in your organization”.

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5. Make Some Changes

If thinking about your job already fills you with anxiety, you should go to the root of the issue. Are you bored? Stressed? Despite your efforts or positive performance, do you feel unappreciated at work?

Do not prison yourself to unhappiness. Instead, think about what needs to change in order to make you a happy employee. If you are having problems in your role or can identify possible improvements, raise your hand and speak up. Have a meeting with your manager to discuss your issues or ideas.

Employers always want happy, motivated and productive employees. Therefore a good manager will work with you through and support you to find a mutually beneficial solution for both sides.

Make a change and move forward

6. Maybe It’s Time To Do Something Else

If you consistently feel miserable on Monday mornings, it might be the time to plan a career change. Talking with a recruitment specialist can help you to understand what you are really looking for in your career. You could be aware of the opportunities in the market, as well as the suitable vacancies out there for you. A chat with one of Michael Page’s recruitment consultants could help you to take the necessary steps toward a career you love.

You might be also interested: 5 effective ways to help you focus

How to make your life easier on Mondays

October 17, 2021Life

There are at least nine ways to make the first day of the week not so hard.

Monday causes bouts of melancholy and anxiety for many people. Scientists have even found that it is on this day that people feel the most unhappy. There are many reasons for this: we have to give up the freedom that we enjoyed on the weekend, think about duties and stress again, get up early. Fortunately, it is in our power to make Mondays not so scary.

1. Prepare ahead of time

On Sunday, look at your calendar and remember what you planned to do on Monday. Make a to-do list if you missed it on Friday. If necessary, pack a bag and prepare things for work.

Don't stay up late on Sunday evenings watching TV series, playing games, or scrolling through social networks. Otherwise, you will not get enough sleep and the next morning you will feel overwhelmed. Ideally, on weekends, you should get up and go to bed at the same time as on a weekday. And don't drink alcohol. Mondays are tough enough, don't add a hangover to that.

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2.

Start the day early

Yes, it’s not easy, but this will give your brain time to gradually get used to the fact that the work week has begun. Try to come to the workplace early, take your time to drink a cup of coffee, read the news or mail, chat with colleagues. Start the day with a simple task, and then move on to more complex ones.

3. Follow your thoughts in the morning

Negative thoughts often have nothing to do with real facts, we repeat them simply out of habit. Pay attention to what you think about on Monday morning. If you notice that the phrases “Nothing will work”, “Everything is bad”, “I can’t” and the like often pop up, replace them with positive ones. For example, “I can”, “Everything is fine”, “I used to succeed and now I can”. So you will control your thoughts and your mood, and not vice versa.

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4. Plan something nice for Monday

It doesn’t matter if it’s your favorite meal for breakfast, yoga for lunch or meeting with a friend in the evening. Or maybe on Mondays you and your family will have dinner at a cafe instead of cooking at home. The bottom line is that by planning an event for your pleasure, you regain a sense of control and create joyful anticipation.

Also try not to fill Monday with unpleasant and difficult things: this will make it seem even worse. Distribute them evenly across the days of the week.

5. Limit your social media consumption

On Sunday evenings and Monday mornings, try to use less social media. People often complain that it's Monday again and joke about the liters of coffee they'll have to drink to get through the day. This kind of negativity is contagious.

6. Make time for self-care

Some people need to meditate, some need to take a hot bath, and some need to go for a run to get a boost of endorphins. Choose the method that suits you or combine several. This will help to protect against the anxiety caused by the start of a new work week and maintain peace of mind.

7. Rate your satisfaction with your job

Your dislike of Mondays may reflect your general attitude towards what you do. If you constantly dread the first day of the work week or die of boredom in advance, only remembering it on the weekend, it may be worth considering a change. And finding a new place is only one of the options.

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Think about what you can change in your current job to make work more enjoyable. And discuss it with management. Also check to see if you're experiencing burnout. If that's the case, don't delay recovery so it doesn't get worse.

8. Remind yourself of pleasant events in the following days

Plan something interesting for Tuesday or Wednesday, such as a date, going to the movies, or meeting friends. Now Monday will not upset, but bring you closer to the long-awaited event.

9. Humble yourself

Yes, sometimes Monday is the worst day of the week. But stress is a normal part of life, and from time to time you can’t get away from it. Accept it and remind yourself that you are strong enough to deal with it and get through this miserable day.

“Sunday anxiety”: why we are nervous before the start of a new working week

Anti-stress Listen to your body

“Anxiety usually occurs on Sunday in the middle of the day or in the evening, when we remember that a pleasant weekend is coming to an end and work is ahead again , routine and many different responsibilities,” explains clinical psychologist Jessica Stern.

Unfortunately, in most cases it will not be possible to extend the weekend, just as it will not work to give up the upcoming unpleasant business (for example, meetings with superiors). But there are other ways to dispel the “Sunday longing” and give yourself the opportunity to fully enjoy the day off.

1. Set aside time to get out of “rest mode”

“When you are planning for the weekend, it will be very helpful to take some time on Sunday (approximately 10 minutes to an hour) to gradually put yourself into “weekday mode” ”: You can make plans for the next week, decide what you will cook, or just exercise while thinking about the upcoming things,” recommends the psychologist.

2. Watch your feelings

On Sunday, during the day, pay attention to the emotions that arise. Write down everything that worries or worries you on a piece of paper. Then you can look through these recordings, find patterns and understand what exactly provokes unpleasant experiences.

For example, if you realize that your anxiety is due to the increased workload next week and you are afraid of not being able to cope, you should consider delegating some tasks to colleagues or asking for an extension of the deadlines.

3. Plan ahead for Monday morning

Often on Monday mornings, we feel a lot of stress due to too much to do and feel we can't handle it. Anxiety on Sunday often arises precisely because of unpleasant premonitions about the next morning. “Try to make the most clear plan for Monday morning, this will help you feel more confident before the start of the working week and get better sleep,” recommends Jessica Stern.

Prepare your clothes in advance, decide what to eat for breakfast and check your schedule. You can read your work email to get a better idea of what's ahead of you. “But remember that you still have the day off and you have the right to postpone all serious work tasks until the next day,” she reminds.

4. Treat yourself

Make a promise to yourself that on Monday morning you will treat yourself to something pleasant. It could be a favorite pastry or coffee of an unusual variety, or perhaps a new list of music that you can listen to on the way to work.

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