Monday Evening Routine to Re-Motivate the Week Ahead

Mondays are known for being stressful and trying for everyone, so how are we supposed to make it through the remainder of the week? Well, we have compiled a list of excellent Monday evening routines and links to more ideas on how to stay sane when you have a case of the Mondays!

by: Elizabeth

It may just be a me thing, but Mondays can really bring down all that positive energy you built-up over the weekend to prepare for your week. Then, Monday happens and we instantly need to recharge our batteries again. How can one day be so draining?!

I may be a corporate career citizen, but my sister texted me “It’s been crazy…” by 12 PM today. Without going on a rant about how done I was by noon today, let me just refocus here. This article is for anyone who feels like Monday just kicked their ass, and sometimes before it even really gets started.

By the end of a Monday, I find myself writing out responses to pings, texts, emails, and then promptly deleting them because I have no real desire to actually loose my job because I got the case of the Mondays. SO if you are having one of those days, let me share with you how I turn it back into a positive so that I can not just survive the work week, but actually be productive and positive!

1. Shut Everything Out. If you have not yet done this, turn off your laptop, mute your emails on your phone, disable push notifications, and essentially inhibit the ability to be distracted. We all focus on getting rid of distractions while we work to better focus and be more productive. DO THE SAME with your personal time. That is your time, and you need to eliminate distractions that will take away from your ability to focus on you and recharge your batteries. If you have children and your job is strictly to be their parent, I am not suggesting you shut your children out. However, I am suggesting you shut out your appointment notifications for the next day like doctors visits or soccer practices. I am suggesting that once homework time, chore time, etc. is over, be present with your family while having dinner. Yes, there are a million things you need or could do as a parent at night. There are a million things I could do to focus on my career at night, but what good are we if we do not turn that focus onto ourselves and get rid of stressful distractions? Burnt out and cranky is what good we become.
2. Find 30 Minutes and Selfishly Take It! Let’s be real. Taking time for yourself to decompress after a long day, especially a Monday, is so important. Whatever it is that you need to do, just do it. Some of my favorite things to do after any long day are to 1) Stretch in a quiet place, 2) Sit on the back porch and listen to the birds or the Florida afternoon rain, or 3) Take my dog for a walk in the neighborhood. These things might sound so simple, but when you try to do them and do them alone, you will find the task of taking 30 minutes to do nothing mentally or physically taxing is a challenge. Here are our Journal Prompts for a Positive Moment.
3. Make Sure You Are Eating Healthy. While ordering out food or getting take-away sounds easy and effortless when you have had a long Monday, it is hard to commit to cooking a healthy meal. If you live in an area where there are healthy places to order from, by all means do so! If not, then I recommend a few things to make your life easier. 1) Plan your meals and order food the Sunday before, 2) When planning, make sure to plan an easy or pre-made meal for your Monday evening, and 3) Plan to eat alone (do not have Monday a family meal night). Eating healthier has its obvious benefits, but you also must think about the recovery it will give your body and mind. You need nutrients to boost those batteries so you can get through the rest of your work week! Click here for some of our healthy and easy recipes and here for our grocery ordering guide.
4. Self-Care is a Must! After dinner, wind down with some self-care. Mine is taking a long bath with a good book. My baths are luxurious. I have epson salts, flower petals, scented body oils, dimmed lighting, and bubble bath. Before I go to bed, I will also do a more detailed skin care routine that includes hydration along with cleansing and toning. Whatever your routine for self-care is, take the time to do those things. Here are more self-care ideas to browse: 8 Self-care Musts to Get You Through Your Work Week. Check out our reading list here: Must Read Summer Book List.
5. Do Not Drink Alcohol. Having a glass of wine while you cook or unwind in the bath tube seems like a fabulous idea, it can turn out to be a not so great choice. I am not a doctor, but there are benefits that you will derive from abstaining from alcohol. 1) You will sleep better, 2) You will learn to self-soothe through better coping skills and self-care vs. having that glass of wine, and 3) It gives you the opportunity to drink more of other things like water to re-hydrate and juices for new minerals and vitamins. Here is a recipe for an antioxidant beverage to replace your wine.
6. Have a Wind-down Routine. Last, but not least, have a night time routine that helps you wind down and relax to have a good nights sleep. As someone who suffers from chronic insomnia, a night time routine and schedule are crucial to my success during the week. My favorite night time routine is watching a show with my husband. One that is easy to watch and not stressful (we have enough of that in regular life). I also really enjoy reading my books and disconnecting with electronics by a certain time. If you would like to read more about a solid night time routine visit here.

I hope these ideas and links to more inspiration help you through your Monday and work week. Sometimes, we need to be a little selfish so that we can give ourselves to others who may need us as well. So take the time!