It’s not just Garfield who hates Mondays; most humans aren’t thrilled to be back in the office at the beginning of the week. The reasons behind this deep-seated hatred vary, but the result is typically the same: low energy employees, wasted time complaining, and compromised productivity. As a leader, it’s critical to get ahead of this potential drain by implementing practices that help take the sting out of Monday mornings.
End the Week Right
One big reason employees dread Mondays is because they’ve been haunted all weekend by the work they left unfinished on Friday. For these workers, the new week already feels stale.
Combat this by making sure the previous week ends on a complete note. Though it’s impossible for everything to always be done by quitting time on Friday, do everything in your power to ensure little carries over into the new week. 
Kickstart Success With Success
As mentioned, Mondays tend to be less productive days. Part of the reason for this is the tough transition from relaxation to work.
It is possible to kickstart that transition, however. A powerful way to do this is by starting Monday morning with recognition of successes. Highlight what is going well with your business along with individual achievements over the last week. This positive reinforcement serves to make employees feel as though they make a difference and that the coming week has similar potential. Many workers tend to work harder after receiving recognition for their work, so devoting even a few minutes to celebrating successes can pay off in a more productive Monday.
Provide Clear Goals
Another reason for Monday Blues is the terrible feeling of an ever-stretching workload ahead of you. Even if an employee’s role is relatively straightforward and predictable, at the start of the week it can still feel as though it will never end. Mitigate this by providing a clear outline of the week’s goals and how your team will meet them. Break the week’s work into manageable chunks. Seeing that there are only five main objectives with, say, three critical tasks each, makes getting to work a lot less daunting.
Keep Things Light
Most managers, understandably, want to jump right in after the weekend. After all, when there is a lot to tackle, why not take on the bigger tasks immediately? Employees often feel otherwise. They’re still adjusting to being back, and may not be at their best sleep and attention-wise. Instead of shocking their systems with big tasks, reserve Monday’s schedule for lighter, routine things, like upkeep and call-backs. Assign the larger tasks for later in the day or week, after employees have regained their equilibrium and workflow.
Make Them Special
While Friday is typically known as the casual workday, consider switching that title to Monday. Let employees wear their weekend clothes, bring in coffee for the team, or treat everyone to ice cream during a meeting. These little touches add sparks joy to an otherwise dull day, building anticipation for the start of the week.
