Dreaded Mondays

Do you dread Mondays?

Do your employees dread Mondays?

Mondays

Most people dread Mondays.

The stress and anxiety caused by Mondays are a reality for over 75% of workers today.  In fact, the blues caused by Mondays is so pervasive that it creeps into how we feel on Sunday afternoon, thereby also ruining part of the weekend.

Monday blues are so common it even affects those who like their job.  Here’s why.

We begin each Friday happy to prepare for our weekend. We don’t have to set the alarm, and we have control over how we spend our time and the enjoyment we receive.

By the time Sunday evening comes, however, we’re back to thinking about the weekly grind—our lists, and our workload for the following week.  We have what is left unfinished from last week, our morning commute to look forward to, and everything else we need to do to keep our life running.

The Employer

For all businesses, Mondays need to be as productive as the remaining four days of the workweek.  Our product still needs to be produced, clients need to be called, and buildings need to be built.

Although not uncommon, most small business owners and entrepreneurs are not as affected by the Monday blues as the employees.  But whether you dislike Mondays or not, there are several things you can encourage employees to do that should lessen the impact of the Monday blues.

1. Be present. More so than any other day, Monday is the day you need to be managing by walking around.  You need to be seen on the shop floor, at the worksites, and around the office.  No other day needs hands-on encouragement like Mondays.
2. Manage schedules, so new tasks start on Mondays. Set assignments so that tasks can be completed on Fridays, then the employee can enjoy the weekend off from thinking about what was left undone and start the week on a fresh task.
3. Make Monday your treat day. Most offices use Fridays as the day to bring in treats, celebrate birthdays, and get together and socialize.  Moving some of those events to Monday will make Monday seem less threatening.
4. Don’t fill Mondays with meetings. The drudgery of Monday is compounded by having to sit in meetings all day as well.  Leave Monday as a day for your staff to start new projects, make plans for the week, and make some headway on existing projects.

The Bible

5. Fill Monday with gratitude. We need to make Monday as a day we get to work, as opposed to a day we have to work.  We need to remember all the people who are counting on us to get our jobs done so they can do theirs.

Everyone who is working on a Monday is there to help others who are also trying to work on Monday.  The gas delivery guy working on Monday allows us to buy fuel for our car, so we can also work on Monday.  Architects working on Monday are there so contractors can build buildings on Monday.  We work on Mondays so our clients can also work on Monday.

To make Mondays more pleasant for everyone, including both your employees and those you come in contact with, make a diligent effort to express gratitude.

Ephesians 5:20 says.

always giving thanks for all things

Mondays don’t have to be so bad.  As the business leader, you can make Monday as productive as any other day of the week.  Simply remember, you get to work on Monday, so your employees and customers get to also work on Monday.