By Tricia L. Ryan, LPC, NCC
"Happy Monday!"
If reading this greeting at the beginning of an email or text is more likely to turn your stomach than inspire a genuine smile, I can assure you that you aren’t alone. For so many of us, Monday mornings can provoke feelings of stress, anxiety, or even dread. The multiple responsibilities we each juggle can seem to pile up at the beginning of the week, leaving us feeling drained before the day has even begun. If you have anxiety, depression, or another mental health condition, these transitions from weekends into weekdays can feel particularly daunting.
Through the years, I've frequently heard from clients that they'll make an effort each Monday to start off on a positive note, only to find halfway through the morning that they feel they've 'failed' or lost control of the day. This can lead to a cycle of anticipating that Mondays will be unpleasant, chaotic, or downright miserable, (thus, the infamous "Sunday Scaries"). The concept of dreading Monday has become a little too relatable in our frantic hustle culture-- particularly with the added stress of the pandemic and its impact on work/life balance.
In my therapy practice, I often have new clients walk me through their typical day or week. There is so much to be learned from the ways we spend our time, and how we perceive the degree of control we have around our schedule. In fact, using a Thought Record or Daily Mood Chart is an incredibly impactful therapeutic tool from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which allows us to understand the connection between our environment, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Depending on which aspect of Monday gives you the most trouble, you might benefit from examining your Sunday night routine, relaxing your unreasonable standards for yourself, or exploring why transitions have historically been tricky for you. Many people find that scheduling a recurring perk for the beginning of the week makes Monday go by a little more easily (ex: watching an episode of a fun show, cooking a favorite meal/ordering takeout, or just giving yourself permission to skip chores for the day).
Close your eyes and imagine going to bed on a Sunday night without feelings of heaviness or unease. If this is too difficult to envision, it's probably time to take a closer look at how you've been coping recently. Even striving for a neutral outlook can be a helpful starting point— it may not be realistic to feel eager anticipation for Monday morning, but sometimes accepting, naming, and acknowledging your anxiety can actually lessen its impact on your mood. Of course, if feelings of mild stress and disappointment have transformed into more distressing or hopeless thought patterns, please seek the guidance of your doctor or a licensed mental health provider.
And remember that it's never too late to reset your perspective on the day-- no matter which day of the week it might be.
Be Well,
TLR