I used to dread Mondays. It would begin on Sunday. I would have heart palpitations. And for some reason my jaw would feel super tight (I later discovered I was grinding my teeth). Then, I would eat chocolate like it was going out of style.
A lot of chocolate. Like, if people were in my home watching me they would have asked what was going on? Then I would cook. Chicken with garlic, capers, lemon, and artichoke hearts. Or, I would roast a whole fryer (chicken) with garlic and other yummy goodness. Sometimes, pasta would be on the menu with fresh pasta sauce made with capers, anchovy, red pepper flakes, garlic, and better than bullion.
Then, I would go to bed with every intention of getting a good night’s rest. But there was so much that needed to be done at work. I would literally dream about work-a lot. And what I couldn’t solve during my sleep or what I was dreading dealing with on Monday morning would wake me up…all night long.
Then, I would “wake up” after being basically up all night long and would be too exhausted to go to work. What was going on?
I Had A Case of the Mondays
If you’ve never seen this movie it is a classic about American work life. And it is a classic for a reason. If you’re feeling any of the symptoms that I listed above watch it, laugh, and then focus on how you will make some changes if you connect with any of the scenarios shown in this movie.
How I Started To Kick My Case of The Mondays To The Curb!
For me, the changes started with starting this blog. If you’ve ever considered writing a blog check out the following post: How I Started A Blog, Change Your Life, and Find Your Tribes for details on “the how.”
I also started making vision boards that also worked well with crafting a new vision for my life. I also started being very intentional about trying to figure out if my problem was my job, or was me. This was super tricky because if the problem was me, then I would have to actually work on my sh$t.
It Was Me
How I figured this out. I started taking more of my vacation time. Please be aware that I was always pretty good about taking my vacation time, but the time I took off during this point in time was taken during my work week. For example, I would leave 3 or 4 hours early and go and do what I needed to do for me. I should note that I spoke with my supervisor and my boss and scheduled my time off so that it wouldn’t affect my team negatively.
The more time I spent on working on myself, the better I began to feel about my situation-and shockingly about my job. There was even a moment when I almost decided to stay because I truly liked and respected my colleagues and our clients-but I HATED what I was tasked with doing. I absolutely hated what I had to do.
I also developed an unhealthy obsession with red swing line staplers, Office Space, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. There are points in your life when you have to make a scary choice. To fight for your life, or to accept how things are going. The goal is to recognize this choice before it gets too messy to make a decision that would benefit you.
I was just on the edge. In retrospect, I should have planned more before I left. But I didn’t Do I regret my choice? No. If you are experiencing a case of the Mondays that just won’t go away. It’s time to take some to time to evaluate your life and figure out what you need to do to make thoughtful and deliberative choices so that you can move towards what you want for yourself.
Not everyone wants to work for themselves maybe you want a different type of job situation, or to live in a different part of country or the world, maybe you want to stay at home with your little ones, or get married so that you can actually have little ones.
Your actions will tell you when a change is needed. I was telling myself in many different ways that I wasn’t happy.
- Physically-my body was communicating with me
- Spoken/written words-I started writing about working for myself…over and over and over again-two years before I quit my job.
- I was angry all the time.
- I gained a lot of weight during that time. I gained around 45 pounds. Almost 5 pounds a year for each year that I worked my job. I’ve currently lost around 27 pounds since I changed my situation.
Admitting that you are your problem will be hard to do (if you’re your problem). But once you do you will be free to make changes so that you can begin moving towards the life that you want for yourself. Don’t let fear and habit keep you from doing what is best for you.
Have You Had A Case Of The Mondays?
What Did You Do About It?
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Modays are terrible, well first of all I need a big big cup of coffee, if happens that I must to work inthe cafe during week end monday is normal also if a little more tired than usual…. I never watch this movie but I am going to watch it:P thanks for suggestions and now I am sure that working on yourself you have a better work/life balance but mondays are mondays…terribles!!!
Giulia, you made me laugh! I always need a nice cup of coffee to get me started in the morning. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is fantastic. I highly recommend it. I also think every person who works should watch Office Space. I don’t dread Mondays anymore-I’m usually super focused and ready to kick some a@@
I still do get a little case of the Mondays even though I work for myself. It’s usually one of my busiest days and that’s when clients, who promised notes or project details the Thursday or Friday before, start dumping stuff on me then want it yesterday because they were late getting the info to me. The trick is to try and change your perspective. To me now I have to think of it as just any other day, and that even if clients do pile a lot of work on me, at least it’s work. I’m not that it also kind of helps that I seem to work just about every day so Mondays aren’t like going back to something after having two full days off. My days now just blend. 🙂
I’ve had to work at changing my perspective because I found that meant I had to be actively positive about stuff. It has now become a daily practice and I’m getting better at it.
I never had a problem with Mondays until I worked at my last full-time job. My coworkers used to complain so much about them that I started letting Mondays affect me. I started developing headaches and stress on Mondays. One day I snapped out of it by telling myself that this isn’t me and that you should enjoy everyday above ground. Eventually I also quit that job. I haven’t had a problem with Mondays since.
LOL! I started laughing when I read the last line of your comment. It took awhile for me to “find myself” again and get out of that head space. I look forward to everyday because I don’t get yelled at anymore 🙂