Sluggish start to the week: Always on Mondays

Monday morning is the mood in the basement.

The whole week with all its hardships is ahead, the work is piling up on the desk.

And the weekend seems far away.

This low mood is so widespread that researchers have their own term for it: Monday blues.

In a recent study, the University of Leipzig examined why we feel particularly demotivated on Mondays.

87 subjects kept a diary for two weeks and noted how energetic they felt several times a day.

The researchers also asked about sleep quality and expectations for the upcoming workday.

The result surprised study author Oliver Weigelt: the well-being and energy levels of the participants were just as high on Monday as they were on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - or just as bad.

"The difference in well-being between Sunday and Monday is significant because the transition to the new week requires an adjustment that costs strength," says the work and organizational psychologist Weigelt.

While the transition from Friday to Saturday usually has positive connotations and creates vitality and anticipation - researchers call this the "Thank God It's Friday Effect" - things look very different at the beginning of the new working week.

So what to do?

"Approach with positive expectations," advises Weigelt.

Anyone who is looking forward to the exchange with colleagues or knows that the upcoming tasks can be mastered well will start Monday in a better mood.

If you have problems with this, you should try the so-called "job crafting", he recommends.

Translated this means: design the job according to your own needs.

According to Weigelt, in most cases the type of work does not match the needs of the employees.

His suggestion: tackle the problem on two timelines.

In the short term you can use your room for maneuver, organize the day yourself and complete difficult tasks if you are particularly efficient.

In the long term, the environment and framework conditions must be right: Which tasks do I enjoy?

Which ones overwhelm me?

Where can I say no?

Pay attention to sleep hygiene

Another lever: consistent self-management.

After all, anyone who stresses themselves out by breaking deadlines or starting projects too late is understandably not in a good mood on Monday.

Better: Write a list of tasks for Monday on Friday.

"This keeps your head clear at the weekend and the start on Monday is less stressful," says job coach Mathias Fischedick.

Routine tasks on Monday morning that are easy to do not only ensure a smooth transition into the working day, but also give you the first small sense of achievement.

Restful sleep also creates a good start to the week.

The researchers at the University of Leipzig suspect that the sleep quality of the test subjects has a significant impact on how they start the week.

They felt fitter at the weekend because they slept better compared to the work week.

In the night from Sunday to Monday, however, they slept worse again.

"The quality of sleep during the transition to the working week decreases considerably," says study author Weigelt.

Parts of the recovery cushion built up over the weekend are used up immediately.

He advises paying attention to “sleep hygiene”, especially on Sunday evenings.

This includes avoiding the blue light on your smartphone for a few hours before you go to bed.

In addition, an evening walk and good ventilation at a room temperature of 16 to 18 degrees support healthy sleep.

While the transition from Sunday to Monday is critical for many people, some are already in a bad mood on Sunday.

Researchers call this Sunday neurosis.

The rest day, which is actually so valued, can quickly become a strain when the stress level drops.

"The stress reaction during the week often overlays symptoms that only appear at the weekend," says Weigelt.

These include depression and irritability.

Job coach Fischedick knows the Sunday neurosis from his clients: "Anyone who gets sick on Sunday often feels overwhelmed at work," he says.

And then there are those who are always in a bad mood when they actually have longer free time.

"Work often has an activating effect and provides vitality," says Weigelt.

If this effect disappears, for example at the weekend or on vacation, many fall into a hole: they feel listless, tense, empty inside.

Fischedick observes the "leisure time sickness" in people who find their only fulfillment in work.

You are left without any meaningful work at the weekend or on vacation.

The aim is to “find something that is really fun and makes sense”.

But not every bad day becomes a problem.

Sometimes there are also difficult days, especially in the dark season.

In winter, Mathias Fischedick receives significantly more inquiries from people questioning their profession.

Then small things often help: like sunlight and a lot of exercise.