What Could Happen if You Didn’t Hate Mondays?

If you don’t like Mondays, you’re not alone. Many people experience higher levels of anxiety before they head to work at the start of the week. If that sounds like you, one reason might be that you’re in the wrong career, so you dread returning to your job.

You may not realize how much this affects every day of your week. The anxiety begins to build on Sunday and doesn’t lessen until Tuesday or Wednesday. Then when Thursday and Friday roll around, excitement and anticipation for the weekend begins. It’s a vicious cycle, and you’re never truly in the moment – always either looking forward to the future or dreading it. This situation leaves little time for enjoyment of the “now.”

That was me. In my early thirties, I worked in an executive position at a managed care company. I enjoyed  spending time with my co-workers, and I was good at my job, but the work itself left me feeling hollow inside. After striving for years and years to get to that position, how could I hate being there? I started to develop weird stress-related health issues and I was miserable. Looking back now, it seems so obvious. I was simply in the wrong career and in the wrong environment.

Are you in the wrong career? If so, realize that it doesn’t have to be that way. Everyone has bills and obligations to meet, but you can create a life and a career you love. I’m not necessarily recommending that you run out and quit your job tomorrow, but you should thoughtfully and intentionally design your future. A future that includes a career you love.

Imagine what you could accomplish if you didn’t dread Mondays?

If you loved your work so much that it didn’t feel like work. What would that look like to you?

7 Questions to ask yourself:

1. If I won the lottery tomorrow, what would I do with my time? Most of us could only sit on the beach and sip Mai Tais for so long. We all need a purpose in life, and work can help provide that purpose. Asking yourself this question and responding honestly will help guide you to a more purpose-driven career.
2. What are the things  I like about my current career? Make a list and include as many things as possible.
3. Is there a way to add more of the aspects you like about your career to your current position? If so, you may enjoy your job more. If not, you may want to begin creating an exit plan. Keep your list to help you know what things to look for in a new career.
4. What are the things I dislike about my current career? What aspects cause you frustration? Make a list and include everything you can think of.
5. Is there a way to decrease the things you dislike or that cause you frustration in your current job? If so, you may find that you dislike your job less. If not, you may also want to begin creating an exit plan. Keep your list to help you know what you’ll want to avoid in a new career.
6. Could I start my own business or do I need to feel the security of working for someone else? Answer this question honestly – there’s no “right” answer, only what’s right for you. Just be honest with yourself.
7. What is one thing I could start doing right now to make my current job better? Whether you plan to change jobs, stay where you are, or start your own business, begin to make things better for yourself today, exactly where you are right now. It’s okay to dream and plan for the future, but don’t lose any more of the present in unhappiness.

Author Howard Thurman summed it up when he said, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”  Doing something that makes you come alive, helps others, and yourself in the process is what the world needs. Stop dreading Mondays, life is too short.

Do you hate Mondays? If not, why not? Share your thoughts below.

Need help getting to the live you love? Check out my coaching program.