A 10-step Monday survival guide.

11 Jan 2016



"Choose a job you love and you won't have to work a day in your life", is what dear old Conficius always used to say, but then again the man lived in a time and age where Netflix didn't even exist yet and couches probably weren't half as comfortable, so one can't really blame him for making such foolish statements. Fact is and always will be that no matter how much you love what you do, weekends will always be better (that is, unless you work weekends) and Mondays will always be a bitter pill to swallow. Which is exactly why you need to read my strategy to soften the blow of Monday.

1. Set the breakfast table on Sunday evening. This will give you at least 5 extra minutes to spend in bed (and believe me, on Mondy morning those can really make a difference). Already prepare your lunch for the next day (if you take one with you to work, that is) and you gain an extra 5!

2. Put on Bach's cello suite no. 1 while getting ready for work. This might not work for everyone, but is sure does get me in the zen zone.

3. Bring a good book with you to read during lunch break. That half an hour of escapism will proove very beneficial for your mental health. It might even stop you from wanting to kill off co-workers or clients, though I can't make any promises.

4. Make sure you have a freezer stocked with homemade soup (made in the weekend when you've got time on you hands, of course), you'll thank yourself for it on Monday evening, when you are honestly too washed-out to even think of preparing a meal. A cup of hot soup with a royally buttered piece of bread will be all the comfort you need. My beau and I eat this every Monday and it is a habit we wouldn't even dream of getting rid of.

5. Finished your meal and even managed to toss your plate in the dishwasher? Congratulations! Now it's time to wash off all the residual Monday stress: take a hot shower or bath, scrub, put on a facemask and finish with royally applied body lotion.

6. Put on your comfy pants and do something for you: a 20 min yoga bedtime routine is definitely what I would recommend.

7. Make yourself a cup of tea. Chammomile tea is supposed to help you relax and get a good night's sleep, so I say all hail for that!

8. Eat a cookie. You made it through Monday, you deserve this!

9. Nestle yourself on the couch with your cup of tea and your cookie and give some cuddles to your cat (in case of absence of a cat, a boyfriend, girlfriend or dog will do just fine, but then of course you do have to miss out on that meditative sound of purring). According to research by Carnegie Mellon University cuddling helps to reduce stress, so it's the perfect ending to your day.

10. Make it an early night. Making it through Monday is one thing, but getting through the rest of the week is another. And getting enough sleep will surely give you a head start.

So far my Monday survival guide. If you have any additional tips or tricks to make it through that horrid first day of the week, please spill'em in the comment section!