Feeling Monday Blues? Here's What This Psychologist Have To Say About It

You all must have experienced Monday blues at some point in your life. Monday blues are generally recognised by feeling extreme stress, anxiety or sadness on the first day of the week. It can make a person lack the passion and motivation to go to work on a Monday morning. Monday blues are usually so common because it is a day after two (or one) days of leave, and people know that they cannot expect any rest for another five or six days.

"Mondays are also very stressful as most people are given their weekly targets on this day. They are usually expected to be on their toes on this day and perform efficiently," says clinical psychologist Dr Deepali Batra.

Why do you experience Monday blues?

Monday blues can be multifactorial. Following are some common reasons for Monday blues as suggested by Dr Deepali:

1. You are not satisfied with the kind of job that you are doing.

2. You are not happy with your boss, colleagues or work environment.

3. You feel that your life is very mundane. There is no pleasure in your day-to-day tasks and everything seems very mechanical.

4. Your job is interfering in other pleasurable activities that you could engage in earlier, before joining the job you're currently in. This is mostly in case of highly demanding jobs where people are not able to rest (or do things of their choice) during weekends (or their respective weekly offs) as well.

5. You are unable to give time to your relationship because of your work commitments.

6. You are suffering from a mental health issue.

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Remedies to get rid of/prevent Monday blues

1. Identify the problem

People who experience Monday blues regularly must make the effort of identifying the underlying cause behind it. Is it your own inability to fulfil targets or a poor relationship, workplace, boss, lack of motivation to go to work every day, etc. It is only after defining the reason behind your recurrent Monday blues that you will be able to do something about it.

2. Make your weekly offs pleasurable

It is important to engage in pleasurable activities during your weekly offs. This will give you the energy to start your week on a fresh and positive note.

3. Dress well on Mondays

This can be an effective remedy against recurrent Monday blues. You can either plan on wearing a new dress or doing your make-up nicely or trying a new hairstyle, especially on a Monday or any other day that your week starts. It can give you a different kind of energy and can also make you feel positive.

Dressing up well on Mondays can motivate you to go to work on a positive note
Photo Credit: iStock

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4. Consider your job as a job, and not your life

This is extremely important for people who tend to affect everything else in their life because of their job. You have to realise that there are numerous other things (your friends, family, pet, partner, good food, music, etc) that you are blessed with. It is important to give equal importance to all these aspects of your life.

5. Go for a walk after work

Dr Deepali suggests that you must go for a 20-minute walk every day after work. You can do this after having dinner or when you reach home after work. It can help in preparing and energising you for the next day.

6. Stop using negative statements for yourself

A common tendency among people is to use negative statements like "My life is useless", "My job is the worst job", etc. Dr Deepali says, "Try to change your statements. It's just a Monday. Try to keep calm and be positive that you at least have this job." You can also seek comfort in the fact that there are some people in your workplace who acknowledge you and are fond of you. Also, going for small chit-chat sessions with your colleagues can be helpful in reducing Monday blues.

Also read: Do You Work In Shifts? Here's What You Should Do To Avoid Letting It Take A Toll On Your Health

7. Lifestyle changes 

Eating properly, doing regular exercise and including some breathing exercises in your routine can do wonders for improving your mental health and reducing Monday blues. You can count on the things that you do have instead of focusing on everything else that you don't have. Be more organised and try to take proper sleep on Sundays (or the day before your week starts). You should compliment yourself that despite not being ready or in the mood of going to work, you still made it.

"In case you feel that you are not able to be functional and feeling more exhausted by each day, it is better to take professional help," says Dr Deepali.

(Dr Deepali Batra is clinical psychologist and director, Pals for Children and Adults, Rajouri Garden)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.