Everybody’s working for the weekend! It’s no big surprise that many folks dread the arrival of Monday morning. By the time Sunday evening rolls around, you can already begin to feel the weight of your mindset shifting from fun and relaxing to, “what am I going to walk into tomorrow morning?”
For many, most of our weekly time is spent devoted to work. Our job occupies a big chunk of life, and our minds are often preoccupied with thoughts surrounding it. However, if you dread the work week, it means that there’s a big part of your life that’s spent being pretty unhappy.
"Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored."
- Earl Nightingale
Changing focus to channeling some of that weekend happiness into every day is a big step towards overall work satisfaction. We shouldn’t just live for weekends, but embrace each day the best we can. Here are some tips for getting on the right path:
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Incorporate a typical “weekend” activity into a weekday.
There are ways to make time in the week to make it feel more like the weekend. Schedule an early breakfast with a friend or co-worker before you head into the office. Order the works, including that second cup of coffee. Get in early one day so that you can leave the office an hour early to go to a science museum with the family (it’s probably less expensive during the week, and less crowded). Take a leisurely bike ride home. Meet a loved one for a lunchtime walk. Do anything that feels restful and fun to help break up the work week.
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Become an early riser.
Think about those weekend mornings you’ve been able to slow down and really take your time getting out of the house. Try setting the alarm a little earlier than usual a couple of days a week, and consider it your “lazy hour” to take your time getting ready. Go for a walk, take a long relaxing shower, sit and sip your coffee slowly. You may even realize you have a few extra minutes to read the comics. Allowing that extra time in the morning goes a long way for setting yourself up for a less stressful day.
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Be flexible with when you attend to certain tasks. Consider using a portion of your weekend for some light work. This doesn’t mean sacrificing time to commute to the office on a Saturday, but if you find yourself in a relaxing place (such as in a coffee shop, or at the park), fire up the laptop and respond to a few emails. Catching up on light work here and there will cut down on those tasks weighing down your work week. You can keep that weekend mentality while still being productive. Just remember to think of it as a way to support your week, not as an excuse to load up on additional tasks the moment you’re back in the office.
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Make the office your “happy” place. If you make an effort to create a space where you actually enjoy spending time, then you’ll be less likely to dread going there. Bring in framed photos of your friends and family, a plant or two, a lamp (to counteract fluorescents), and tack up some of your favorite travel postcards. If you’re spending a lot of time somewhere, it’s up to you to make it warm and welcoming.
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Create time for your work colleagues. Build relationships with the people you see at the office every day. You probably spend more time with them than a lot of other people in your life! Get to know them by planning a weekly coffee outing, a weeknight happy hour, or join a rec league (like bowling, kickball, or softball) to build teamwork. Not only will it make for a more positive work week for you, but also for everyone else in the office.
Clove & Twine regularly helps corporations provide Employee Gifts to support the embrace of company culture and solidarity within workplace relationships. These gifts are fun, meaningful, and useful - all ideas that support overall happiness in and out of the office.
Do whatever you can to change the dread you may have for Monday mornings into excitement about what rewards the work week will bring. Your life is remarkable. Enjoy it.
Gift Responsibly,
David
