Mondays get a bad rap. In fact, Monday’s bad rap is so bad that it is the day more children miss school than any other and the day more employees miss work than any other – whether they are really ill or not. The simple fact is – Monday is a huge let down after the weekend. We see it as the day that the fun stops and the work begins.
This isn’t just based in reality – I run a home-based business. I set my own hours. I work for clients and myself. I write here and share my experiences. For several months, Monday was actually my down day from family and work because it was the day the husband went to work, the kiddo went to her Pre-K and I could spend a few hours getting things done for me whether they were work-related or not.
So Monday gets a bad rap.
Take It Back
Today, is the first of my official take it back days. Make Monday your ‘my day.’ How do we do that? Plan for one pampering event on Monday. For example, go to the gym and do your workout and then get a five or ten minute chair massage if your club happens to have one of those. If they don’t, then swing by a nail place and get a pedicure along with a foot massage. Take a long lunch, read a book for a bit and enjoy some quiet time.
Whatever you choose to do on Monday, make it about you. Use it to embrace your workout and demonstrate how much you care about yourself. Take yourself out for a nice meal, a pedicure or a quiet hour of reading and relaxing. Whatever it is you do – do it on Monday. Give yourself something to look forward to and reclaim it.
If you are getting ready to start a fitness program, you can choose to start it on Monday, though most experts agree that ‘traditional’ start times are not a good idea. Typically, we have negative associations with Monday as described above – so that negative association translates to our workout and more. In fact, you should start a fitness program mid-week or an off day that you don’t have positive or negative associations with.
But that being said, if you are already engaged in your fitness plan and workout – Monday is a great day to enhance that with a little positive reinforcement. Did you max out to 45 or 60 minutes of cardio today? Great – get a reward. Did you do your workout over the weekend, even though you just wanted to sit and watch the game? Fantastic, take yourself out for a nice lunch.
We Need Rewards
We need rewards and part of fitness is fitness of the whole mind and body. We need to remind ourselves that we are worth it. What better way to remind ourselves that we are worth it than to take back the day that most of us don’t feel like belongs to us.
So what can you do today to make Monday, My Day?
Related Articles:
Fitness Anniversaries and Goal Setting
Mental Calisthenics to Help Your Workout
Four More Reasons to Yoga Today