Do you ever dread the end of your weekend? Maybe feelings of anxiety or depression start setting in for you on Sunday afternoon or evening. It's why the start of a new week is sometimes referred to as "Blue Monday." Experiencing these emotions is quite normal, even for adults.
Mondays happen every single week and can't exactly be avoided, so what can you do about it? Here are some ideas for changing your approach to the Monday blues:
- Don't wait for Sunday night or Monday morning to prep for the week ahead. Clean out your backpack and check for homework when you get home on Friday. On Saturday morning, take a few minutes to plan some options for what to wear on Monday. Prep while you still have the weekend ahead of you and are in a positive frame of mind.
- Check your schedule for the week so you know what is coming up and are prepared for it. You might even check the week's weather to see if it impacts any of your plans.
- Set some simple goals for the week ahead. You might decide to exercise on certain days, do some random acts of kindness, or reach out to someone you haven't talked to in a while. Goals will focus you forward and give purpose to your week.
- Give yourself time to relax and unwind on Sunday night. Be home early. Get to bed on time so you aren't tired and crabby to start your Monday morning.
- Treat yourself to something, ANYthing on Monday. Maybe it's something that you wear or eat, or a video you can watch that evening. Having something to look forward to helps start your Monday on a positive note.
- Think good thoughts. Build yourself up. Focus on the positives. Be grateful for your life and the people in it. Block out bad thoughts and don't let them take over your day or week.
Instead of dreading Mondays, train yourself to think positively about the start of a new week. Besides, who says "blue" has to be a bad thing? Maybe blue is actually one of your favorite colors! By focusing on the positives and taking care of yourself, Mondays might not be so bad after all.
