Dread Monday Mornings? 5 Habits To Make It Easier

Mondays have a bad rep. Most people would say that Monday mornings are their least favorite part of the week. In fact, one survey found that a whopping 80% of people feel more anxious on Sunday nights because they start dreading the following day.

It can indeed be tough to go back to reality after spending the weekend relaxing and doing what you truly enjoy. However, there are ways to make Monday mornings more bearable and even boost your sense of well-being for the day and week to come. Here are a few Monday morning habits mental health experts would urge you to adopt. 

 

1. Move your body

Being active for just 30 minutes a day is enough to get the feel-good chemicals in your brain working, reduce anxiety, and improve cognitive function. 

 

Research suggests there are particular benefits to working out in the morning. Getting physical right after you wake up can help shift your biological clock and make you less sleepy and more alert. Morning exercise has also been found to help with memory function. Lastly, there is evidence that people tend to feel more motivated to work out on Mondays because they see them as a fresh start. As you see, there are plenty of good reasons to make Monday morning workouts a habit.

2. Make your bed

Making your bed in the morning is a surprisingly effective way to feel productive and ready to take on the week. Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist and Columbia University professor advises treating it as the first task in your ‘to do’ list of the day. 

 

Accomplishing something so early in the morning will give you a sense of pride and efficiency and will encourage you to do another task and another. That sense of accomplishment and momentum is exactly what you need to start off the week the right way.

3. Make a gratitude list

Mental health professionals often recommend starting a gratitude practice of some kind. This can help us gain control over our thoughts and guide them in a positive direction. It may be especially helpful on Mondays when anxiety levels tend to be higher. 

 

We know Mondays are busy days, but just jotting down three things you’re grateful for, no matter how small, can make a difference. Research shows that gratitude can be a great stress reliever. If you feel journaling isn’t for you, don’t worry, there are many ways to express gratitude.

4. Avoid checking your email first thing in the morning

As tempting as it is, try to avoid reaching for your phone and checking your emails first thing in the morning. It might give you a false sense of productivity, but in reality, checking your emails, text messages, and social media when you wake up has been shown to harm mental health and make you feel more stressed than before. 

 

Give your mind some quiet time in the morning, before you let the world in. It can be helpful to set a designated period of time (like 15 minutes) during which you will not reach for your phone or any other screens.

5. Plan ahead

Implementing new habits into your routine isn’t always easy. While this is technically a Sunday night habit, planning ahead is a powerful tool to make sure you stick to your goals. If you decided to tackle Monday morning with a workout, for example, set your exercise clothes out on Sunday night. Or place your gratitude journal somewhere where you will see it. 

 

The most important thing is to go easy on yourself. Some Monday mornings are bound to feel chaotic or annoying. Adopt one habit, and check how you’re feeling after practicing it for a few weeks. The important thing is you’re making the situation a little better, one step at a time. 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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10 Ways to Build Mental Strength So You Can Navigate Any Challenge Life Throws at You

Navigating life’s true challenges doesn’t require being “tough.” It requires awareness, finesse, and knowing your own mind. We got experts to answer the questions we hear most about building mental strength. Use their strategies to level up your grit game.

Can you get physically stronger without leaving your mental comfort zone?

“The body can only adapt if it faces something new, and new challenges won’t always be comfortable,” says Ebenezer Samuel, a fitness director. So basically, no. Your mind will adapt to the discomfort, too, and you’ll boost both your mental and physical strength.

The secret: Start small. “Every week, add one to whatever goal you’re chasing,” says Samuel, “whether that means doing one more pushup rep every set, adding one more minute to your morning run, or holding a plank for one more second.”

I hate failing. Is there any way to stop obsessing about what went wrong?

Start thinking like Michael Jordan. He’s considered himself a failure: By his count, he’s missed more than 9,000 shots. “Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game- winning shot and missed,” he’s said. “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.”

How did he move on? He moved forward. “Making a mistake is just a source of feedback informing you that you are off course,” says Lisa Stephen, a career, personal, and sports performance coach. “Use that data to focus on what to do next. Then forget the mistake. You can visualize yourself flushing it down the toilet or releasing it in a balloon. The point is to leave the mistake behind and build on what you’ve learned. You cannot perform at your best by focusing on your worst.” 

Can I let go of negativity without writing a gratitude list?

Yes, by doing something for someone else. “An active approach to purging jealousy and negativity is to practice acts of kindness,” says psychiatrist Tracey Marks, by giving compliments and positive feedback to others. If you’re feeling especially generous, pay it forward at a coffee shop or drive-through. There’s some evidence that acts of generosity are linked to activity in brain regions responsible for happiness.

Still, if giving makes you frustrated (like, what about my needs?), try gratitude without the list, Dr. Marks says. Just spend a moment every morning thinking about what you’re grateful for. 

My workload is ridiculous. How do I avoid burnout without dropping down the office pecking order?

Learning to deploy the word ‘no’ comes naturally to some of us but slowly to others. Many people don’t use it because they fear that they’ll lose opportunities or be seen as unwilling by employers or clients. In reality, the opposite can be true.

“My experience has been that when I say no, my value increases,” says Elizabeth Day. “When you respect yourself, others respect you more, too.” At any rate, “I can’t handle any other project” is an easier conversation to have than “I can’t handle this job anymore.” 

I’m a hopeless procrastinator. How do I work up more get-up-and-go?

Let go of the concept of creative inspiration or having to be “in the zone” to do what needs to be done. There will never be a right time to get the work done, and if you’re waiting for the mood to strike, you’ll be waiting a long while.

James Clear, advocates committing to a schedule rather than to a deadline. If life gets in the way of what you need to do, cut down the size of the task—spend ten minutes on it instead of the 30 you’d intended—but always stick to the schedule. Just don’t give yourself the option to skip it.

I’m struggling with the loss of a loved one, but I need to be strong for my family. What can I do?

Being “strong” doesn’t mean holding back emotions and tears. “The way to show strength is not to be afraid to reveal your hurt,” says Dr. Marks. “When everyone is hurting, the people who depend on you will look to you as a model for how to handle themselves.” If you’re holding everything back, you may be telegraphing that grief is shameful. To be strong, show how you feel. 

Reading the news often upsets and angers me. How do I reset?

That’s understandable; the news causes stress because of the sense of hopelessness and feelings of injustice it can evoke. To process difficult news, try creating boundaries around how you’re getting it and find people to have meaningful conversations about it with, recommends psychiatrist Gregory Scott Brown, M.D. Since distressing news can put your natural fight-or-flight response into overdrive, do something to cool it off, like meditation or at least watching an enjoyable non-news, nondramatic show. 

Another solution: Trade passive news consumption for active discussion. Taking the Black Lives Matter movement as an example, Eugene Ellis, the founder and director of the Black, African, and Asian Therapy Network, points to the mental-health benefits of talking with others. This can also help you know what actions to take. “It’s an antidote to the feelings of powerlessness that many of us experience. When you start to engage, you discover that below the hopelessness is connection. And when you find connection, it’s easier to know what to do.”

I’m doing an ultramarathon. Is it true it’s mind over muscle?

“Ultras are probably 90% mental and 10% physical,” says Michael Wardian, a professional endurance runner who’s one of only three people to complete the Leadville 100-mile/Pikes Peak marathon combo (and  an intense race mentally and physically).

To get through an ultra or any endurance feat, “you need to have a big why. Not just running for social media but for your kids or to prove something to yourself,” he says. Also helpful: Rely on “chunking”—setting small goals like reaching the next mailbox or aid station. You don’t always have to be running to build your mental strength. “Get used to doing stuff that makes you uncomfortable,” he says. Set your alarm for 4:00 a.m.—or just do the dang dishes.

I don’t have the patience for meditation. Can I lower my stress another way?

“Yoga is an excellent way to de-stress, and it’s good for the person who can’t sit long enough to meditate,” says Dr. Marks. It also brings you stress-reduction benefits from two directions: As with meditation, you focus on breathing, which can help relax the body. “And by stretching tight muscles, you relieve tension,” she explains. You don’t have to be flexible to do yoga, and these days there are tons of virtual options for practicing it. Two of our favorites are Alo Moves and Apple Fitness +. Both offer a wide range of classes, from hour-long stress busters to ten-minute yoga snacks. (A side note: Meditation really is worth persevering with, so keep at it. Try an app like Calm, Headspace, or Ten Percent Happier to make it less boring.)

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement