Can’t Wait for Monday.
There are people like that, including me.
When was the last time you jumped out of bed on a Monday before your alarm clock rang — full of thrilling anticipation?
When was the last time you sang ‘Super Trouper’ (ABBA) or Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash) at the top of your lungs in the bathroom on a Monday morning? Starting in the shower, through drying off to blow-drying your hair — the hairdryer or the comb as a microphone, the tiles as a dance floor for your choreography, and the mirror to see everything from the front row.
If your answer is now “never, or the last time was as a child when I went on vacation or to the amusement park — or when Christmas Eve fell on Monday“ or if you find such statements funny or disturbing, then I would give it some serious thought.
Let me guess what your Mondays are like
Your alarm goes off at 6 o’clock. Then you press the snooze button once, twice, or three times until you get out of bed — reluctant and flabby.
You trudge into your bathroom. There you can perceive what time it is and prepare to leave the house in a hurry and under stress.
You rarely have time for a slow breakfast. So you quickly stuffed yourself with something to eat and left the house.
Rush hour. There you are stuck in a traffic jam with your car and need one hour for what is normally a 20-minute commute. Similar to taking the train/tram/bus/…, with the difference that it is additionally overcrowded.
Arrive at work: late and in a bad mood because of the commute and tiredness — and because it’s simply Monday: “I have to go to work”.
Am I right to a certain extent?
You are not alone
Don’t worry. 8 in 10 employees also hate Mondays having a similar morning and are in this situation as well.
But why is that?
Most experience an emotional and routine shift, as the weekend is over.
During the weekend, they have another sleep pattern and can organize their days freely — often without obligations and without anyone telling them what they have to do. So, they do funny things, relax, enjoy a hobby, meet friends, or spend time with family and friends, just to name a few.
On Mondays, someone else tells them again when they have to be where and what they have to do there. They need to go out of their homes and socialize (with their colleagues or anyone else they meet on the road).
For some, it’s so bad that they can’t even switch off from their stressful work at the weekend and are already thinking about the next day on Sunday evening.
Others realize that they are “externally controlled” and have been experiencing the same week over and over again for 40 years without finding individual fulfillment.
In short, those employees are trapped in the 9-to-5 hamster wheel, probably hating their jobs or are completely disengaged in them.
If you then ask them why you don’t change something about the situation (e.g., switching jobs or becoming self-employed) to get more freedom and experience more fulfillment, these people then say “Well, that will come naturally when I’m retired, get the promotion, or when I will be rich”. Forget it. Why do think that? It’s a lie.
If you’re the type of human who can’t do ‘it’ (finding fulfillment in your work or in your daily activities) before you are ‘retired’, or ‘rich’, you won’t be able to do it then either.
By the way, you won’t get rich just by wishing or doing the same unsuccessful and unfulfilled routine every day. It takes hard and persistent work as well as a (pro-)active approach — and for this, you need to have a minimum of fun with it and create ‘value’ for others. Fulfillment then comes naturally.
Please don’t get me wrong, this story is not intended to judge or make fun of all those who find themselves on this unsatisfied 9–to–5 hamster wheel (I was there, too), but rather to show them a world as it can be.
Why Mondays are awesome
Of course, it depends somewhat on the type of person and the individual (living) situation, but let me tell you briefly from my perspective.
I love Mondays because of…
- …the peace and quiet: Have you ever been to the supermarket, authorities, sports center, on the streets, or walking the dog during the week? There is absolutely nothing going on during the day, as everybody is at work. Well, you meet pensioners and housewives regularly. This is also the same for the remaining workdays (except on public holidays).
- …the work itself: I can finally work again without ‘social stress’ (e.g., working in a hostile environment, playing social chess). I love my work or work in general, but on my terms: where I want, when I want, for how long I want — and the surprising effect is that I work longer and more efficiently than most employees struggling with their jobs.
- …the fresh start: After a relaxing weekend where you don’t think about work, you are optimally rested and have your full energy — often with a clean slate and a lot of new ideas waiting to be implemented. So, I am extremely productive and efficient on Mondays, which I enjoy because I can work again (some context: various appointments are often scheduled by my girlfriend at the weekend).
Perhaps some of you will already recognize what’s the secret behind it.
Why your Mondays are far from awesome
Shall I let you in on the secret? Well, it’s not the Mondays that are the problem, it’s you and your job.
You — because of the wrong attitude.
If you are not full of energy and like to get out of your comfort zone (e.g., doing sports), you should also work on your mindset. What also helps is to solve the next point.
Your job — because of the lack of the 4Fs:
- Freedom
- Flexibility
- Fun
- Fulfillment
If one of these Fs is not possible in your 9-to-5 job, it will be difficult. I’m not saying that a 9-to-5 job or being an employee is bad, just that it becomes more difficult to achieve these 4Fs from my experience because you have to deal with one or more bosses and your colleagues, who are perhaps too ambitious and want to outdo you on the career path.
How to make Mondays fun (again)
Change. You have to change something.
Let me make two points clear from the start:
- Without actively striving for change, nothing changes for the better, but the other direction does.
- There is no perfect moment, do it now.
Start with something simple. Try copying my Monday morning get-up-and-bath routine above exactly and see how much more energized you’ll be.
Just give it a try.
What do you have to lose? — Well, except for a few minutes of sleep.
Of course, this is only the first step: raising awareness and creating demand. You should first experience what it would be like if that were your life — every day, even on workdays.
Awareness and reading books on the subject of personal development will help you to shift your mindset.
Do sports (or go walking) to get more energy and stick to your sleep pattern, even at the weekend.
However, the most important and difficult thing is to change your job: look for another fulfilling job straight away or start your own business (as a side hustle first).
Please invest as much time and energy until your daily work fulfills the 4 Fs mentioned above. Don’t stop until that is the case. It’s worth it.
In many cases, only then will all Mondays — and then even the rest of the working week — become fun again.
Bringing it all together
Mondays can be a pain in the a** — not only because of the work but also because of your attitude and your bad behavior at the weekend.
Ask yourself what work could fulfill you and then change or adjust the above points accordingly.
Sure, it takes a certain amount of effort and getting out of your comfort zone for a while, but afterward your life and, in particular, your Mondays will look completely different.
How are your Mondays? Please share your experiences with us.
Some of my other related well-performing stories:
- The ONE Thing — 10X Boost Your Productivity
- The 20 Lessons I Learned in 2023 — Do Better Than Me Next Year
- The Good Thing about Your Life Crisis
- Outsource Your Life — Business Owner Recommends
- Kick-start Your Personal Development and Get an Unfair Advantage over Those Who Do Not.
HAPPY READING, HAPPY IMPLEMENTING!
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