Mondays. Ugh. I don’t think anyone likes them. It’s the end of the fun weekend and the start of a stressful work week, with five more whole days until we see the freedom of the weekend again. Despite any bad feelings, however, there are some ways we can change our mood when that dreadful day approaches.

Change Your Mindset

Ease into the work week with a more relaxed approach on Monday to make the rest of the week more productive. Mondays should not be looked at as a productive day. There is no reason to make a sales pitch, do any cold calling or have a difficult conversation. Use the day to catch up on emails, return phone calls and define your goals for the week.

Before you end your work week on Friday, write a to-do list for Monday so that you already have everything in place for the following week. This way, you won’t carry any burden over the weekend about things you didn’t get done, knowing that you’ve got a plan to tackle them first thing on Monday morning.

Do Things Differently

Shake things up on Monday morning. Yes, most people are running around and feeling rushed – it’s so hard to get out of bed on Monday morning, isn’t it? But, take an extra ten minutes to read a book in the morning, do yoga or meditate, or sit outside and watch the sunrise with your cup of coffee. Starting your day this way will make you feel so much more relaxed and motivated to start the week.

Have Midweek Fun

The weekends don’t have to the be only time you have fun with friends and family. Plan a movie night or dinner out midweek. Knowing you have something to look forward to in a few days, rather than in 5 or 6, will help Monday come much more easily.

Healthy Habits

Resist the urge to sleep in over the weekend – it only makes getting up on Monday morning that much harder. Drink plenty of water, keep your alcohol consumption to a minimum, and eat a healthy diet. By doing all of these things over the weekend, you are less likely to experience that energy crash on Monday.

Most of all, stop telling yourself you hate Mondays. Just changing your mindset will help reclaim a day of the week that starts off a whole week full of potential.