Make Mondays Fun

After a weekend of fun and relaxation, it’s Sunday night again and the dread of Monday starts to creep in. But that kind of thinking isn’t productive or beneficial and will put a negative start to the week.

 

However, there are some things you can do to alleviate these feelings of anxiety and avoid those Monday Blues.

 

Ease into Monday by preparing beforehand

Make Monday a little easier for yourself by prepping for it ahead, giving you more time to take it slower on the actual day.

Prepare your things the day before 

Lay out your outfit, any meals or snacks, and documents you plan to take with you to work the next day. This way, there are few fewer things to think about in the morning and you decrease the chance of forgetting anything.

Keep this day caffeine and alcohol-free 

Maximize your sleep by not intaking anything that will change your energy levels in any way and affect your quality of sleep.

Get things done on Friday 

Try finishing up some tasks before the weekend so that you lessen your workload for Monday.

Don’t check work emails over the weekend 

Replying to emails will make you think about all the work you may have waiting for you on Monday. If it’s truly urgent you will most likely be reached by phone, so enjoy the weekend and tend to replies when you get back.

Make Monday a day to look forward to

Start the week off with fun activities so you have something to be excited about as the weekend ends.

Dress up 

This can mean planning on wearing themed outfits (all blue, floral, 80s, etc) with some of your coworkers, or it can mean putting on more effort on the way you normally dress– sometimes feeling more confident in what you’re wearing will make your day a little better.

Make or plan to eat your favorite meal

Treat yourself to your favorite food for lunch or dinner as a reward for a Monday well done!

Potluck

Some activities are more enjoyable when they’re done with people– try planning a potluck with some of your coworkers to make things more fun.

Make dinner plans with some friends

Maybe Mondays really are a bit busy for you, so planning to go out with your friends or coworkers after work can give you something to look forward to at the end of the day.

Pick-me-uppers for Monday

If your Monday is already off to a rocky start, it doesn’t mean it has to continue to be: there are several things you can take a dull day into a better one.

Inspiring articles and quotes to start the week

Sometimes you just need to read inspiring things to feel more productive. Try following inspirational Instagram accounts or if you have some favorite quotes, pull them up and read them again to kickstart your day.

Take a walk

Spend your lunch break strolling around the area to clear your mind and reset before starting tasks again.

Think about or make a physical list of your blessings

It’s easy to forget about all the positive aspects when your head is clouded with dread. Take the time to really think about all the things you’ve been blessed with to give yourself some perspective.

Make someone else happy

Pick up an extra coffee for your colleague or offer to buy lunch– sometimes making someone’s day can make yours.

When all else fails

Identify the problem 

What part of the Monday don’t you like? What can you do to fix it? Do you need to move jobs? Do you need to change your regular routine? Pinpoint what exactly you dread about the start of the work week so you can find a solution.

Grab a drink after work

Just take the load off and try to unwind at the end of the day. You’ve made it through Monday!

The post Make Mondays Fun appeared first on Sprout.

source https://sprout.ph/blog/make-mondays-fun/

How to Hang Out With Your Bosses

If you spend the average 9 hours (sometimes more!) at work 5 times a week, it’s inevitable to find people that you get along with. If you’re lucky, sometimes the bosses are outgoing and you might find yourself making plans to hang out outside of the office.

Spending time with the bosses can open the line of communication and increase morale as everyone gets to know each other.

So while it’s never a bad thing to get along with your superiors, there are some things you should consider to keep the line between professional and personal associations separate.

Avoid Oversharing

While it’s natural to feel like you can share more things with your bosses as you get to know each other more, there’s still such a thing as sharing too much and acting too familiar.

You must remember you are an employee first and friend second: avoid saying anything that might cross the line and ruin your boss’s image of you or even your professional reputation.

In short, resist sharing too much of your personal life, inappropriate topics or jokes, office gossip, and anything that may portray you as unprofessional.

Maintain professionalism

A general rule of thumb for many industries is you should maintain some level of professionalism even outside work, and even more so when hanging out with your bosses.

While getting invited out for a drink or attending a work event that involves alcohol is meant to take the load off, it’s always best to keep yourself composed and not do anything that you have to apologize for the next day.

Be inclusive

Making an effort to invite other coworkers to come hang out with the bosses as well can make everyone feel included and in turn increase team dynamic.

Exclusivity from hangouts may look like you’re trying to earn some brownie points for yourself, which can increase the chance of tension among the team and may also ruin relationships with your fellow coworkers.

Open lines of communication

Getting to know your bosses more will inevitably make you feel more comfortable communicating any thoughts you have about work. You should take this as an opportunity to express any kind of concerns, opinions, or any productive feedback you might have to make the company grow and improve.

However as said earlier, be careful not to overshare or gossip as to keep your reputation in tact.

Don’t try too hard

Though there are quite a few things to keep in mind when hanging out with your bosses, just have fun and be yourself!

While they are your superiors first and foremost, they’re also regular people with lives outside of work. They will have different interests, hobbies, and opinions that could make for good conversation.

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The post How to Hang Out With Your Bosses appeared first on Sprout.

source https://sprout.ph/blog/how-to-hang-out-with-bosses/