Here's how to shake off those Monday blues!

For those of us in the U.S. who have to work today -- a federal holiday commemorating the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. -- getting out of bed was especially difficult.

But don't despair!

Rather than dwelling on the start of a new week as a bad thing, think of it as a fresh opportunity to do more of the things you want to do over the next couple of days.

Maybe you're dead set on losing weight and welcome the chance to hit the gym early in the week, or look forward to squeezing in time to read your favorite book during your lunch breaks.

Although everyone looks forward to the weekend, the bulk of the week is spread over the five days most of us have to go to work. That being said, we might as well do all we can to make Monday through Friday as enjoyable and productive as possible.

That "I don't want to go back to work" feeling starts to set in as early as Sunday morning for many people. But rather than focusing on the most onerous aspects of the coming week -- waking up early, getting stuck in traffic, dealing with a difficult boss -- we should concentrate on the things we deem fulfilling, the ones that truly drive us.

Hopefully, you're one of the lucky few who genuinely look forward to going to work. Some people love their jobs enough not to consider it work at all.

But for those of us who would rather be sunbathing in the Caribbean with a martini in hand, take solace in the fact that you're certainly not alone. What's more, if you fix your thoughts over the course of the week on your passions and goals rather than on the more inconvenient aspects of having to return to work, you'll find that the week will go by a lot faster.

Comments

This will spell the end of your relationship

When asked to think about the most common culprits for a relationship's going south, most people will point to cheating, complacency, and taking one's partner for granted. While these are all valid -- and documented in various posts on this blog -- there are certain habits on the part of partners that may not kill the relationship right away, but cause it to erode more gradually. Among the most egregious of these is expecting your significant other to be perfect. They pick at your follies any chance they get. Nothing you do is ever good enough. In fact, you will never measure up to an ex, neighbor, or accomplished co-worker. Perhaps this all sounds a bit familiar. When you feel as though you're constantly being put under the microscope, it can inflict lasting damage on the relationship and your self-esteem. You're walking on eggshells all the time, praying you don't say or do something that's going to trigger your partner. This is no way to live, let alone ca

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n

Misconceptions about quiet people

Earlier today, I came across a Facebook page that features motivational quotes intended to improve people's moods and enhance their overall self-esteem. Interestingly, I noticed two quotes that focus specifically on quiet people: "Be afraid of quiet people; they're the ones who actually think." "The quietest people have the loudest minds." I've observed that most people's views of quiet individuals can fall under one of two categories: 1. The ones who say quiet people are antisocial, suspicious, snobbish, and/or full of themselves. 2. The people who say their introspective nature and propensity to be deep in thought makes them smarter than their more garrulous peers. The quotes above speak to this mindset. As an introvert known to be quiet at work and at social functions where I might not know anyone, I feel I'm well positioned to dispel any inaccuracies surrounding quiet folks. First of all, the above statements misguidedly put

Understand People

Search This Blog