Banish the Monday morning blues

Everyone has the odd bout of Monday morning blues from time to time - when the weekend seems to have gone by all too quickly and it’s difficult to roll out of bed.

However, for some, Monday mornings are an ongoing battle and the start of the week represents a real challenge. Sometimes this is due to an excessive weekend of celebration or a cold winter morning, while in other cases it runs a little deeper – revealing a genuine dissatisfaction with a career.

If you’re suffering from a lapse in motivation, here are a few helpful hints for busting your Monday morning downers.

Be rested and refreshed

Don’t underestimate the effect of tiredness and stress on your Monday morning outlook. Maintaining regular sleep patterns and getting enough rest can help to give you more drive and enthusiasm at the start of the week. Having a quiet, relaxing weekend once in a while can help to re-charge your batteries and give you a rejuvenated approach to the new week.

What’s the point?

Everyone needs to have a sense of purpose to engage and motivate them, and this goes beyond monetary reward. Why do you do the work you do? What makes you care about the job and its outcomes? Reassess the reasons why you chose your current job in the first place and focus on what it is that makes it worthwhile for you. If these reasons have changed, or have disappeared– how can you restore them? To feel motivated, you need to understand the true purpose behind your weekly efforts and that goes beyond your pay cheque.

Look ahead

For a positive, motivated outlook, most people need to have a clear sense of direction and progression in their careers. Where do you ultimately want to be in your career? What steps can you take today to get you closer to achieving that goal? Your employer should help you to visualise a career path and highlight the opportunities that are open to you within your current organisation. Look ahead, be proactive and seek out new opportunities to gain different skills and develop in your role.

Be detailed and specific 

If you’re consistently getting start-of-the-week blues, it’s important to identify the real root of this discontentment. Maybe you feel overworked and under-valued, or perhaps you’re not feeling challenged enough? Try to be detailed and specific about what’s causing your lack of motivation. If concerns are left unaddressed, they may continue to grow and add to your disengagement.

Time for a change?

If Monday morning is a constant batter and nothing seems to lift your spirits, perhaps it’s time to consider a career move. Think about what you what you want from a new role and what parts of your past experience you’ve particularly enjoyed. A recruitment specialist, like our dedicated consultants at Page Personnel, could help you to identify some productive next steps. A confidential chat with one of our consultants could help to give you the confidence and advice to get on route to a new challenge and job satisfaction.

Why not search all of the jobs we’re currently handling to see if one could be right for you?