Are you among those people who feel anxious, idle and tense every time a new week kicks off? If you nod positively to this question, you may apparently struggle with what is called “Monday blues”, also known as “Mondayitis”.

For many, Monday is considered the worst day of the week. Mondays are said to be universally hated, especially at work. Worst, the Monday blues have become a cultural phenomenon. Individuals feeling the Monday blues are often those people who lack motivation to work on Monday morning. Alexander Kjerulf, an international author and speaker on happiness at work explains that the Monday blues describe a set of negative emotions that many people get at the beginning of the work week if they are not happy at work. “It contains elements of depression, tiredness, hopelessness and a sense that work is unpleasant but unavoidable,” says the author.

By definition, Mondayitis refers to a feeling of weariness, sadness, apathy and general distress that an individual feels when returning on a Monday after the weekend. The main reason why many people hate Monday remains totally blur and unclear. Saturday and Sunday are perceived as days of freedom and enjoyment. When Monday comes, it feels like a loss of or a return to an unhappy situation. Multiple studies suggest that going through Monday is psychologically hard. The transition from two-day relax time to weekdays induces massive emotional shifts making Mondays really dreadful and difficult for some people. Becky Stuempfig, an American licensed marriage and family therapist says, “When Monday rolls around, many people feel a sense of disappointment and dread about having to return to their responsibilities rather than spending time how they choose to spend it”. She adds, “It may feel like a loss of independence and control because other people are determining how you spend your time”.

How to beat the Monday Blues

Making the transition to an unpleasant workday on Monday can be very discouraging, especially when it is a fun-filled weekend. However, Monday blues can be avoided. Here are three tips to beat this dreaded Mondayitis:

Disconnect over the weekend. During the weekend, try to avoid checking your emails constantly and unplugging from any work-related problems to focus on enjoying the time off by just relaxing. Set stricter boundaries between work and personal time. Rita Friedman, a career coach, says, “It can be tempting to know what is waiting for you, but drawing clearly defined boundaries between work and personal time can help keep things in check”.

Reframe and ease up on Mondays. Given that Mondays are busy days at the office, think of getting your Mondays planned and set new routines like writing down your achievements and goals. “When you are 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”, says Ryan Kahn, a career coach and founder author and television personality.

Cheer yourself up by doing something nice for someone else. Instead of ruminating, think about doing good to people and ways you can make someone else’s Monday better. Not only does it benefit others, but it also makes you feel better. Alexander Kjerulf asserts that one of the best ways to cheer oneself up is to make someone else happy.

Know that it is normal to feel sometimes nervous and dread about getting into Monday. Yet, when it starts turning into Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday blues, there might be something wrong. So, it is up to you to notice when it is more than just blues.

Sources : Forbes/ Huff Post