Fridays motivate us, Fridays free us, Saturdays are for sofas and blankets, Sundays for pizza, and Mondays...Why do they exist?! Why do we feel that on Mondays we have an alien inside us that absorbs our energy?
The worst thing about Mondays is that we think about them from Fridays. During the weekend, most workers anticipate the stresses of the week ahead. Maybe it's not that we're just listless or tired, but there's something behind our hate for Mondays. It may be that our work does not motivate us or that we lack commitment.
If we were happy at work, why wouldn't we walk through the office door moving our hips like Shakira? At Hrider, we look for a way to be happy every day of the week (yes, even on Mondays!). And not everyone on our team dances like Shakira (some are more like Michael Jackson). That's why we've come up with some tips to help you make Monday a great day, whether you're an employee or a boss. Let's ensure that your staff doesn't hate doing their work any day of the week and prevent the "Blue Monday" syndrome.
Tips for employees
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Plan Mondays on Fridays: One of the reasons Mondays are so busy is because of accumulated work that we are loading. Before the end of the week we must plan our tasks well, both the delayed ones and those that we will have to do. The tasks that you are least passionate about do them first thing in the day or even on Fridays. Avoid giving Mondays reasons to hate it.
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Dissconect on the weekends: Avoid checking work email. Like in Las Vegas: what happens in the office stays in the office. Don't bring home the stresses of work and enjoy rest days.
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Wake up a bit earlier: Do not start the week with stress, wake up on time and treat yourself to a good breakfast, put on your best clothes and start the week full of energy! Take the test: if you wake up a little earlier on Mondays than the time you usually wake up, you will enjoy extra time for yourself and you will go to work more relaxed. And, of course, sleep the necessary hours, forget about going to sleep anxious when you set the alarm on your phone and it marks the terrible -and brief- countdown.
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Self-assessment: Maybe the problem isn't Mondays, but that you don't feel good about the work you do. It may be that you are only carrying out tasks that do not motivate you or that you do not feel the recognition of your boss. Take advantage of occasions like performance reviews to communicate how you feel and set challenges that help you feel fulfilled at work.
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Pursue new projects: Set goals that will get you into The Zone and keep you motivated. Do not leave your professional growth in the hands of others.
Tips for bosses
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Identify problems: Ask yourself what's going wrong so your employees are disappointed on Mondays. They are silently telling you that there is something to improve. Communicate with them to find out their reasons. Be active in finding solutions. And if you concluded the performance evaluations with good action plans seeking the improvement of all?.
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Foster engagement: Some of your employees may not be very involved with your organization. Seek engagement from your team through feedback , rethinking the roles and tasks that each member of the organization has in order for them to regain their motivation and always have new challenges.
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Keep Mondays clear: If you are going to schedule a meeting in advance, try not to plan it on a Monday. Set aside Monday mornings for lighter, more routine activities so your team can pick up the pace.
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Allow for weekend disconnection: your staff has to enjoy their free time to recharge their batteries, avoid as much as possible calls or emails in those two days. Otherwise you will only make Mondays even more tiring and frustrating.
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Don't contribute to demotivation. It is very good to have good communication with your team and for them to feel that they can open up to their boss about how bad things are. But talking, talking, talking about the endemic problems in the organization will not help. If you coordinate a team, you must feel responsible because, even if only in part, it is in your power to change things.
By implementing these tips, you can help make Mondays more enjoyable for your team and enhance overall job satisfaction. Long live Mondays!
*Note: where we said pizza we meant positive attitude.
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If at HRider we had to describe our mission, we think that the main one would be to help companies create work environments where talent is recognized and commitment to continuous improvement. Places where people like to go to work, even if it's Monday!
Find out how to give feedback to your team here.