By: Trisha Bautista
Come Sunday night, the weekend comes to a close and the sinking feeling that comes with Monday morning sets in. Weekends give us a glorious two-day break from the workweek. We finally get to spend time with our families, squeeze in some R&R, and if we’re lucky, get some uninterrupted sleep. But once Monday rolls around, I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling like the weekend just flew by, and suddenly, it’s time for another long week of traffic, work, and time away from our kids.
We’re pretty sure the dislike for Mondays is common, but once you’re a mom (especially if you work away from your home), the arrival of Mondays can be even more dreaded!
A weekly dread of Mondays isn’t exactly healthy, so here are tips every mom will be able to apply to make Mondays less horrible, and more tolerable..
1. Cram anything that requires a lot of effort on Saturdays.
Easier said than done, but this is something I’ve found to make a big improvement. At the start of my working mom journey, I’d cram all sorts of things into one weekend, often busy with social events or family outings from Saturday morning up until late Sunday night. I’d end up feeling tired, cranky, and stressed once we’d get home. I decided to reserve Saturdays for anything that requires a lot of effort, planning, and traffic (ie trips to the mall, parties, nights out, etc.), to leave Sundays free for relaxing.
2. Reserve Sundays for quiet family time.
I started delegating everything potentially stressful to Saturdays, which left Sundays for quiet family time. Since our helpers are on day-off on Sundays, I prefer to not commit to any big social gatherings on Sundays. That doesn’t necessarily mean staying home—instead of having dinner out, have a lazy day and order in. Go for a family movie early in the day so you can wind down early on Sunday night. Or, head to the grandparents’ house. Don’t feel guilty about not committing to social gatherings if it will stress you out and deprive you of a chance to recharge for the week ahead.
3. Get an early start on Mondays.
Many moms will relate when I say Monday mornings feel so darn stressful. Somehow, Mondays seem more rushed and more hectic than any other weekday, usually because we’re still on weekend mode, trying to get into the groove of the work week. I found that sacrificing an hour of sleep by waking up earlier actually helped—it gives you time to have a “slow” morning. Spend some minutes snuggling in bed, have a slow breakfast and a morning cup of coffee. It will do wonders for your Monday mood!
4. Make Monday night a date night.
Motherhood made me see Fridays so differently—if before, it meant dinners, drinks, movie dates, and whatnot out, it now means I finally get to go home to see my family after a week at work. Move your Friday date night to Monday so you have something to look forward to at the end of the day. Get creative! Take turns planning a date with your hubby–it can be a dinner date out, or some Netflix and chill at home. Making Monday night into a special night to look forward to might actually make you #loveMondays.
5. Dress up extra nice on Mondays.
Whatever industry you’re in, and whatever style you have, make Monday your special arte day. We know being a mom often means dressing down, not having time to put on as much makeup as you used to. Start giving yourself a you day, and set it on Mondays to get a good start to the week. Wear your favorite, most flattering dress, or wear high heels instead of flats. Put more makeup on than usual, or ditch your usual monotone outfits and wear a pop of color. Pretty soon, you’ll be looking forward to Mondays!
Trisha Bautista is a writer, editor, and PR practitioner with articles published in many of the country’s top magazines and lifestyle websites. She’s a mother to an eight months-old baby boy, and is constantly trying to find the time to stay fit and healthy while balancing married life, motherhood, career, and a social life. She enjoys discovering health, fitness, beauty, and shopping hacks to maximize time and money, and loves the occasional wine night.
