Many people feel less productive on Mondays than on other days of the week. We shed light on where the “Monday blues” come from and explain how you can get rid of them. The easiest way is to have time for yourself to explore the 22Bet.
Perhaps this sounds familiar to you: Monday morning, the alarm clock has rung and you just can’t get going. Psychologists refer to this phenomenon as the Monday blues. According to a survey, one in two people don’t like going to work on Mondays and therefore suffer at least indirectly from the Monday blues. The reasons often given by those surveyed were that they earn too little and the stress level is too high.
According to some sources, the negative effects of the Monday blues can even be measured statistically. The online encyclopaedia for psychology, for example, cites studies that show a significantly lower performance curve on Mondays. The number of accidents at work is also higher on Mondays than on other working days. According to the study, the risk of a heart attack is also highest on a Monday.
Hence the Monday blues
According to an interview with the German Press Agency, occupational psychologist Oliver Weigelt believes that the Monday blues result from the stark contrast between the weekend and the start of the week. During the week, many working people get up earlier than is good for them. At the weekend, on the other hand, routines are more relaxed and somewhat more equalized.
According to Weigelt, there is also a shift in the daily routine. Some people also shift their sleep rhythm, which leads to them having difficulty falling asleep on Sunday evenings or sleeping through the night. This is another reason why many people are particularly tired on Mondays.
NOT SCIENTIFICALLY VERIFIABLE
It is important to go to bed on time so that you start Monday feeling rested. Although the Monday blues can feel quite unpleasant for those affected, science at least has not yet been able to confirm that the lack of motivation is more pronounced on Mondays than on other days of the week.
Occupational psychologists investigated this effect in a study published in the Journal of Organizational Behaviour. The researchers asked the test subjects to keep a diary of their working week. The participants rated their vitality three times a day and indicated whether they felt exhausted. Sleeping patterns were also recorded and individually assessed.
Contrary to expectations, the scientists were unable to prove that Mondays have an objectively worse effect on well-being than other days of the week, nor that exhaustion increases significantly during the working week. In fact, the exact opposite occurred: at the end of the week, the test subjects had more energy. The researchers explained this with the “Thank God it’s Friday effect” – i.e. the anticipation of the upcoming weekend.
WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT
In addition to evaluating their results, the authors of the study also provide valuable tips that can help you to alleviate the “low” at the start of the week:
- A good night’s sleep is important to start Monday feeling rested and positive. You should take countermeasures at the weekend to prevent “Sunday Scaries” and actively try to start Monday as rested as possible. This means switching your sleep rhythm back to “working days” in good time and going to bed on time. A good evening routine with fixed bedtimes will make it easier for you to start the new week.
- The study authors quoted by SWR also report contradictory results: Some experiments find effects that indicate the Monday blues, others do not. For example, participants who enjoy their job are much less likely to suffer from the Monday blues than those who are not looking forward to the upcoming working week. This means that your low mood on Mondays could perhaps be a sign that you need a fresh start at work.
- In a press release published by the University of Leipzig, the authors of the study also recommend starting the new week with as much positive energy as possible. Those who start the new week full of anticipation, they conclude, will experience fewer Monday blues and be much more energetic.
- Morning routine, exercise and light banish the Monday blues
