Hola All!!
Today is Monday. Are you having Monday Blues today???
According to Forbes.com, from Alexander Kjrulf, an International author and speaker on happiness at work : The Monday Blues describes a set of negative emotions that many people get at the beginning of the workweek if they are not happy at work. It contains element of depression, tiredness, hopelessness and sense that work is unpleasant but unavoidable.
Tepat sekali with you?? You know the answer, right?
I'd like to share what Forbes.com list down on HOW to beat Monday Blues :
1.
Identify the problem. “The first thing to
do is to ask yourself what’s wrong,” Kjerulf says. If you have the Monday Blues
most weeks, then this is not something you should laugh off or just live with.
It’s a significant sign that you are unhappy at work and you need to fix it or
move on and find another job.
Sara Sutton Fell, CEO and founder
of FlexJobs, suggests
making a list of the things that are bringing you down in your job. “Maybe it’s
a negative co-worker or a meeting with your boss first thing on Monday morning,
or maybe it’s that you don’t feel challenged–or maybe it’s all of the above,”
she says. “In either case, clarifying what is bothering you can help you try to
be active in finding solutions. It’s a way of empowering you to take charge and
try to improve the situation.”
Kjerulf says if you only suffer the occasional bout
of mild Monday Blues, then you can do some things to successfully cheer
yourself and others up on an otherwise dreary Monday.
2.
Prepare for Monday on Friday. “Mondays
can be extra stressful from work that has potentially piled up from the
previous week and, for many, can be challenging to jump right back in,” Kahn
says.
To help combat that Monday morning anxiety, be sure
to leave yourself as few dreadful tasks as possible on Friday afternoon,
Friedman says. “By taking care of the things you least want to handle at the
end of one work week, you’re making the start of the next that much better.”
If you do have any unpleasant tasks awaiting your
attention Monday morning, get them done as early as possible so that you don’t
spend the rest of the day procrastinating or “feeling as if there’s a black
cloud hanging over your head,” she says. “Make that uncomfortable phone call,
resolve that outstanding issue, or clean up that mess that’s waiting for you.
You’ll feel a lot better once it’s over.”
You’ll also want to make sure your
calendar is up to date and synched, and you have a good view of and handle on
your upcoming work week–especially Monday, says Deborah Shane, a
career author, featured writer, speaker, and media and marketing consultant.
“What do you need to prepare for and get organized with? Get it done Friday, or
by Sunday, if possible.”
3.
Make a list of the things you’re excited about. “We
often look at the week ahead of us and think of all the tough stuff we have to
do and the difficult tasks ahead of us,” Kjerulf says. “Turn that around.
Sunday evening, make a list of three things you look forward to at work that
week. This might put you in a more positive mood. If you can’t think of three
things you look forward to, that might be an indication that you need to make
some changes.”
4.
Unplug for the weekend. If possible, try to avoid checking work e-mail or
voicemail over the weekend, especially if you’re not going to respond until
Monday anyway, Friedman says. “It can be tempting to know what’s waiting for
you, but drawing clearly defined boundaries between work and personal time can
help keep things in check. When you leave the office on Friday, leave your
office problems there and focus on enjoying your time off. Sometimes going back
to work on Monday feels especially frustrating because you let it creep into
your off-time, and so it never even feels like you had a weekend at all.”
5.
Get enough sleep and wake up early. Go
to bed a little early on Sunday night and be sure to get enough sleep so that
you wake up feeling well-rested, Friedman says. “If you’re only running on a
couple of hours of sleep, it’s unlikely that you’re going to feel good about
going anywhere when the alarm goes off Monday morning.”
Although it might seem counter-intuitive, waking up
an extra 15 to 30 minutes early on Monday morning can actually make going back
to the office easier. “Having a little more ‘me time’ instead of feeling like
you’re trapped in a time crunch can make that transition a little easier,” she
says. “Taking the time to enjoy a healthy breakfast, do some exercises, or take
the dog for a walk can help you feel more centered for the rest of the day, and
can help you remember that you’re not a robot who just sleeps and works.”
6.
Dress for success. “Dress up, perk up and show up ready to be positive
and help others be positive,” Shane says. “Be the light and energy that makes
others have a better day. Show and share your spirit, charisma and vibe and
make yourself magnetic.”
Kahn agrees. He suggests you use Monday as the day
to wear your favorite new outfit. This can help build your confidence
around the office and might get you a few complements from co-workers, he says.
Sutton Fell says when you look good, you feel good.
“Feeling good about yourself is half of the battle on Monday mornings, because
rather than being deflated by work you want to face it with confidence.”
7.
Be positive. Start the week out with an “attitude of gratitude,”
Kahn says. “Take time to recognize and appreciate the things that you enjoy
about work.”
This starts before you even get to work. To pump
yourself up on your way in to work, try listening to your favorite songs,
Friedman says. “Think about the type of playlist you would create for a
workout, and incorporate that same upbeat, high-energy music into your morning
preparation or commute.”
When you get to the office, do your best not to be
a complainer–and keep your Monday morning grumpiness to yourself, Friedman
adds. “In the same vein, don’t listen to other people’s Monday
gripes. Creating or contributing to a culture of complaining is no way to
improve your attitude.”
Shane says you must make a decision to turn
negative reluctance and dread into a “positive, productive and excited welcome
to Monday energy.” Start with Friday and make sure your desk is organized, and
your work to-do list is ready to go for the following week. “Take Sunday to
rest, review and reward, but plan for and get ready to leap into Monday.”
If you’re able to be a source of positivity in the
workplace, not only will you make your day more enjoyable, but you’ll also make
the work environment better for those around you, Kahn concludes.
8.
Make someone else happy. Make
a vow to do something nice for someone else as soon as you get to work on
Monday, Sutton Fell suggests. “Doing nice things for other people definitely
can lift the spirits, and in this case, it could actually help shift the overall
mood in your office,” she says. “Paying it forward can yield great results all
around.”
Kjerulf agrees. He says we know from research in
positive psychology that one of the best ways to cheer yourself up is to make
someone else happy. “You might compliment a co-worker, do something nice for a
customer, help out a stranger on the street or find some other way to make
someone else’s day a little better.”
9.
Keep your Monday schedule light. Knowing
that Mondays are traditionally busy days at the office, a good strategy is keep
you Monday schedule as clear as possible, Kahn says. “When you’re planning
meetings ahead, try to schedule them for Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This will
help you to come into Monday with more ease from the weekend.”
Instead of tackling the biggest and most
complicated tasks early on Monday, take some time for easier, more routine
stuff, Kjerulf says. “This might get you up and running and give you the energy
for the hairier tasks.”
But beware: If you have too much free time—you’ll sit around “feeling blue,” Shane
says.
10.
Have fun at work. Take it upon yourself
to do things that you enjoy in the office on Monday, Kahn says. “Maybe bring
donuts for your colleagues or take a quick break to catch up with friend in the
office. Sharing stories about the weekend with co-workers can be fun and also
is a great way to strengthen your interoffice network.”
Sutton Fell says to schedule a weekly Monday coffee
break or lunch with a friend. “Create an event that you will look forward to on
Mondays as a way to break up the day with some known positivity. At the
very least, it gives you a chance to take a deep breath, talk with a friend,
and regroup for the rest of the day.”
11.
Have a post-work plan. Your day shouldn’t just be about trudging
through Monday to get it over with, but about looking forward to something. “By
making Monday a special day where you get to go out with friends, make your
favorite dinner, or eat a bowl of popcorn and catch up on a TV show you
recorded, the day doesn’t have to be all about getting up to go into the
office,” Friedman says.
