Garfield is not alone in his hatred of Mondaysan aversion only comparable to that of Sunday afternoon: both days are perceived as the end of the good or the beginning of something you don’t want.
In other words, they are synonymous with getting back to the routine.
Before your eyes the abyss. It’s time to bear again 5 full days of wake up, traffic jams, to-dos until the weekend comes back. And with them the full freedom to sleep late, have time for what you love and, ultimately, get rid of your boss.
However, you can”‘reprogram’ your brain to think about the week differently“, says Cristina R. Reschke, researcher and professor at the Center for Positive Health Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences.
As described in an article on The Conversationit is possible to make a few simple changes to better assume everything that leads you to hate Mondays.
Introduce routines that last throughout the week
You may not know it but your mind loves predictability and routine. The research collected by Reschke shows how the lack of it is associated with lower well-being and greater psychological distress.
“One way to adapt to the post-weekend change is introduce routines that last throughout the week and have the power to make our lives more meaningful,” he advises. From watching your favorite series to going to the gym, the important thing is that “they are at the same time every day.”
No sleeping in on the weekends
Turning off the alarm clock is one of the greatest pleasures the weekend brings, but it could also be the cause of your hatred of Mondays. According to Australian researcher Leon Lack Sleeping in late on Saturdays and Sundays makes one feel more tired and cranky at the start of the week.
Catching up on sleep at the weekend can throw off your biological clock, which means you’ll have a harder time sleeping on Sunday and waking up on Monday. And that will result in a bad rest that you will drag all week.
This is the reason why the specialist emphasizes that for To start loving Mondays you must establish a weekly sleep routine. “Studies show that maintaining a consistent sleep time may be just as important to enjoying Mondays as the duration or quality of sleep.”
According to science, it’s better to nap or sleep in more during the week than to expect to sleep in on the weekends.
Control the stress hormone
The Hormones can also play a role in how you feel on Mondays. Here Reschke gives as an example the cortisola hormone that among other things is involved in your response to stress.
Usually it is released about an hour before you wake up and then it goes down. Hence, it is not advisable to drink coffee as soon as you get out of bed. For days, cortisol fluctuations tend to be higher on weekdays than on weekends.
To mitigate it, the specialist encourages you to train your brain to activate the prefrontal cortex, the area of reason and executive thinking, as quickly as possible. “One of the best ways to achieve this and reduce overall stress is through relaxation activities, especially on Mondays.”
His advice includes practicing the mindfulnesswhich is associated with a reduction in cortisol, or spending time in nature when going outside first thing on Monday or during lunchtime.
It is also good that you delay your habit of checking the mobile, social networks and the news. “It’s good to wait for the cortisol spike to subside naturally, which occurs about an hour after waking up, before exposing yourself to external stressors.”
Put these tips into practice “can make a significant difference in the way you perceive the start of the week“says the author.
