Member Article

Monday Morning Misery

We all hate Monday’s. The thought of having to wake up at 7:00 a.m. to swiftly switch back into the routine of the working week is only comprehended when you sit down at your desk at 9:00 and realise this is it for the next week. But recent research suggests that working days Monday through to Thursday are equally loathed by workers.

I think it is fair to say that Friday is widely regarded as the favourite working day of the week. Knowing that after the working day is over you have two full days to yourself is the best part of the week to date. But what makes Thursday, or even Wednesday despised just as much as Monday’s? Personally, I head into Thursday’s in a positive frame of mind, simply at the thought of knowing the next day is Friday! Whilst on the other hand, I often feel in a negative mood on Sunday evening at the anticipation of the week head; when in reality I do not mind Monday morning once I have arrived in the office.

As I am writing this blog, it is Monday afternoon. Having not managed to find time to write this in the morning due to my workload, I already feel like the first day of the week is nearly over. But how do these feelings on various days of the week affect how we work?

The Reality

How many of you are reading this to avoid doing other work you could be getting on with? Theoretically, should Monday’s be the day of the week in which we are most proactive? After all, workers have just had two days off from their usual role. However I cannot imagine this is the case amongst many individuals and businesses round the country. The hangover of 2 days absence from work will still be played out up and down work places throughout the country. My inclination is Tuesday and Thursday is the most proactive day of the week. On Tuesday’s, people will have ‘settled’ back in to their work routine and be ready to get on with things for the upcoming week. I think people are also likely to be proactive on Thursday’s as they will not want to leave things to be done on a Friday.

It seems apparent that the feeling of workers on various days is all psychological. In reality, does it really matter what day of the week it is, how you feel about it and how much work you intend to do because of it? Management certainly would not see it as that and the worker will be paid the same amount each day anyway. Yet there is this mental block that millions of us struggle to overcome on a weekly basis. It would be interesting to see if and how this psychological feeling affects businesses. The stark reality of the matter is however that it is extremely difficult to overcome.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by David Elvis .