Overcoming the Monday Blues: How to Start the Week Stress-Free

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For many, Mondays have a bad reputation and are often associated with a heavy sigh. Mondays are usually related to the weight of the transition from rest and freedom to routine and obligation. After enjoying a weekend of flexibility, the shift back into the structure of work, family life, and school can feel jarring. Work-related stress peaks on Mondays for many professionals — despite it seeming like laziness, it’s biology and psychology at play. 

Cortisol levels also tend to spike as the workweek begins, especially if you feel unprepared or overwhelmed on top of sleep cycle disruptions and anxiety on Sunday nights. The good news is you don’t have to dread Monday. With a few thoughtful strategies, you can reset your Monday mindset, create a calmer and more empowering week, starting with Monday. 

In this article, you will learn what science says about starting the week strong and find practical tips to help you ease into the week with minimal stress and more clarity. 

Why Mondays Feel so Difficult

Monday blues are notably for people who work a five-day week and get two days off. It’s not confirmed as a clinical disorder but persistent negative moods and thoughts can lead to depression and anxiety as Monday approaches.

Work stressors are often blamed for Monday blues, but these stressors may not be the cause — instead, your reaction toward them is. The Monday blues start with a negative mindset toward the day. A big part of Monday blues has to do with contrast because it’s the opposite of the two-day weekend filled with activities you want to do, like spending time with family and relaxing or destressing. 

Mondays often signify deadlines and rude awakenings caused by alarms after your body has spent two mornings choosing its sleep routine. For some, the weekends may be a time to destress, but for others, they could be more overwhelming than the week because you spend it trying to finish all the tasks you didn’t get a chance to do in the week. This depletes your energy levels and leaves you exhausted for another week of work, where expectations are high.

1. Prepare on Sunday for a Smooth Monday

The foundation for a better Monday is often set the night before. Sundays determine how you’ll spend the week because you can either have a frantic night filled with anxiety and overwhelming feelings of negativity toward the next day, or it can be a gentle ramp-up into the week ahead. If you treat Sunday as a planning session instead of a time to panic, your Monday should feel far more relaxed. 

Choose your outfit on Sunday night, use a weather app to decide which outfit is best suited for the day and then have an outfit with a backup, because a plan B idea is always a good idea. Then, prep lunch for yourself or the household. You should also prepare an energy cortisol cocktail drink and keep it in the fridge to consume in the morning for lower cortisol levels when you wake up. 

2. Get Enough Sleep and Wake up Gently

A rough Monday morning starts with a rough night’s sleep. Prioritize going to bed at a decent hour on Sunday and get enough sleep for about seven hours or more, which results in fewer health issues. Avoid the screen at least 30 minutes before bed because blue lights can interfere with melatonin production, which helps with sleep. 

When your alarm goes off on Monday morning, resist the urge to hit the snooze button. Instead, try waking up gently — play soft music, open the curtains for sunlight, or take a few breaths before jumping out of bed. If you usually leap into a frantic morning, allow five minutes to stretch or meditate. A calm and intentional morning sets the tone for the entire day. 

3. Eat a Nourishing Breakfast

Skipping breakfast can make any day feel worse than it should, especially when dreading Mondays. A lack of a nutritious breakfast leads to low blood sugar, which can affect your mood and reduce your concentration levels. A balanced breakfast with protein, fiber, and healthy fats will fuel your brain and steady your mood. 

Try these nourishing meals: 

• Scrambled eggs: Olive oil is a healthy alternative to regular oil for frying scrambled eggs and enjoy with avos on rye bread. 
• Oatmeal: The perk of oatmeal is that you can also make it the night before and warm it up the next day. Eating oatmeal with chia seeds and berries is a great combo. 
• Smoothie: If you do not like cortisol cocktails, drink a smoothie packed with healthy greens, banana and peanut butter. 

The goal is to start your day with meals that give you energy beyond what caffeine can offer. If you’re tight on time, meal prep the night before so your mornings are not chaotic and there’s one less thing to worry about. 

4. Schedule Mondays With Something to Enjoy

If your Monday schedule is filled with chores and strenuous work, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and dissatisfied with the day before it starts. Try inserting something you enjoy into the start or end of your day so you have something to look forward to. A small change can change your entire day’s perspective and release a small amount of dopamine when your brain is excited about an activity or meal.

You can include small activities like listening to your favorite podcast while commuting to work, taking a walk with your friend after a long day and letting your body absorb some vitamin D, or treat yourself to your favorite lunch spot. These mini incentives help your brain associate Mondays with positive moments. 

Use Mondays as Your Fresh Start

To understand how to overcome the Monday blues, you must understand your mindset. If you look at Mondays as a fresh start to the week instead of another week to get through, you may enjoy the change of mindset with thoughtful preparation leading up to the day and finding moments to enjoy the day as it progresses. A shift in mindset can turn Monday stumbles into a springboard that gets you ahead and ready to conquer the week. 

Instead of bracing yourself for the worst, consider Monday a fresh start and another opportunity to find purpose, peace and energy in the week. The blues may not completely disappear, but your week will start better with the right mindset.