Tips to Rewire Your Brain So You Can Look Forward to Mondays

If you’re like most people, you probably dread Mondays. After all, it’s the start of another work week, and you’ve just enjoyed a few days off.

The transition can be challenging, and feeling anxious or overwhelmed is easy. But what if there’s a way to make Mondays more enjoyable?

With a few changes to your routine, you can rewire your brain’s programming and perceive the week in a new light.

First, it’s essential to understand why Mondays are so tough. The human brain thrives on predictability, and it can be difficult to adjust when we disrupt that routine.

Even though the weekend is a time for leisure and relaxation, our brains must work hard to adapt to sudden changes. And when we return to work on Monday, it can be even harder to get back into the swing of things.

But there is a solution: creating consistent routines that extend throughout the week. Engaging in similar activities simultaneously each day can enhance our sense of coherence.

Suffering with the 'Sunday scaries'?😨

A new article from Dr @JolantaBurke and Dr @CristinaReschke has some tips to help get ready for the week – in @ConversationUK @RCSI_PosHealth https://t.co/takVGrKsRc

— RCSI (@RCSI_Irl) March 26, 2023

This could include activities like watching your favorite TV show, going to the gym, or even doing laundry. Creating a routine that works for you makes transitioning from weekend to work mode easier.

Another critical aspect of establishing a routine is getting enough sleep. Research has shown that keeping a consistent sleep schedule is as important as the length or quality of your sleep.

Disrupting our sleep patterns on the weekend can trigger social jetlag, leading to higher stress levels on Monday morning.

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To avoid this, try to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, and avoid taking naps. You might also want to create a “wind-down” routine before bed, such as turning off your devices and engaging in relaxation practices.

Establishing routines and getting enough sleep can make Mondays more enjoyable and less stressful. So the next time you dread the start of the work week, remember that a little bit of routine can go a long way.

Have you ever considered that hormones might affect how we feel about Mondays?

Cortisol is a hormone that is essential to many of our bodily functions. It is released about an hour before we wake up, helping us feel awake and alert. However, cortisol levels can also spike under stress, causing us to react impulsively and hijacking our brains.

It’s not surprising that cortisol levels typically experience an increase on Mondays and Tuesdays. They are generally at their lowest on Sundays. This can lead to stress and anxiety, making it harder to get out of bed and start our day.

The key to combating this is to train and rewire our brains only to recognize actual threats (No, Monday isn’t a threat, even if your brain might think it is!).

Relaxation activities, such as mindfulness or spending time in nature, can help lower cortisol levels and reduce overall stress.

To make Mondays more manageable, consider stepping outside in the morning. Go out during your lunch break before checking your phone or social media.

By giving yourself time to ease into the day and lower your cortisol levels naturally, you can rewire your brain to believe that weekdays aren’t so stressful and are almost as fun as weekends.

It’s important to remember that sometimes feeling stressed or anxious is okay. However, managing our hormones and mental health can make a huge difference in approaching the beginning of the week.

So the next time Monday rolls around, try to add some of these tips to your routine and see if it makes a difference.