--- title: Monday mornings and how to defeat them - Geek Boss description: Oh, that Monday morning feeling! But going back to work after the weekend doesn't have to be grim. Try these tips to tame Monday mornings. image: https://geekboss.com/hubfs/Blog%20Images/windows-241bwQl2uWE-unsplash%20(1).jpg --- [Productivity](https://geekboss.com/blog/tag/productivity) # Monday mornings and how to defeat them [ By Matthew Stibbe ![Matthew Stibbe](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/c0fe13642b2329271b9ce0a5b41d744a) ](https://geekboss.com/blog/author/matthew-stibbe) Published 29/May/2018 Updated June 2 2026 ![Man working at desk unsplash](https://geekboss.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20Images/windows-241bwQl2uWE-unsplash%20(1).jpg?width=1600&height=1000&name=windows-241bwQl2uWE-unsplash%20(1).jpg) We’ve all had that Monday morning feeling. A mix of tiredness, anxiety and resignation. Defeated before we’ve begun. Instead of being the worst day of the week, Mondays can (and should) be the best. Anything’s possible! [Productivity](https://geekboss.com/blog/12-things-that-make-me-more-productive) awaits! This article explains how to defeat Monday morning. - **Try something new**. Think about something you enjoy doing at work – for me it’s playing with new software and trying to make things work – and do that on Monday mornings. Maybe check out [Pipedrive](https://www.pipedrive.com/en-gb) or [Basecamp](https://basecamp.com/). - **Break a bad habit**. If you start the day with a cigarette, a coffee and ‘doing’ your emails; don’t. Pick a habit you want to break and stop it. Dead. If Monday mornings are dreadful, giving up on something won’t make it much worse. It’s the perfect day for virtue. [![Marketing Strategy foundations course CTA](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/289742/f5078ad8-43c6-493e-bdd4-7530d06591d3.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/289742/f5078ad8-43c6-493e-bdd4-7530d06591d3) ### Love your lists (or don’t) - **Make a list**. Make a list of the big things you want to achieve this week. The stuff that is important rather than urgent. The things that move you forward. Brainstorm the ideas. Pick the most valuable. Begin. Just starting something creates its own momentum. - **Or throw away your list**. If like me, you’re a listaholic, consider putting the list aside for a few hours on Monday morning. Your brain already knows what to do. Even if you stick to the list, change your list software. [Pivotal Tracker](https://www.pivotaltracker.com/) is great for geeky types. - **Reach out to people**. Go to Facebook, LinkedIn or your company intranet site. Find someone you haven’t seen for a while. Contact them and arrange to meet them in The Real World. Do analogue stuff with them. It takes a couple of minutes and it’ll give you something to look forward to. ### Unbook some meetings - **Unbook those meetings**. If your schedule looks like mine – wall to wall meetings – consider unbooking some. Can they manage without you? Do you need to be there? Could you go, make your report and leave early? - **Meditate**.  Meditation is a great way of adjusting your attitude in a positive way. I use the [meditation timer](https://www.articulatemarketing.com/blog/concentration-ways-to-focus-on-writing) on our Articulate Marketing site to help me [concentrate](https://www.articulatemarketing.com/blog/concentration-ways-to-focus-on-writing) on my meditation and my work. - **BANJO**. Bang Another Nasty Job Out. Just do something you’ve been putting off. Then make yourself a [nice cup of tea](https://www.articulatemarketing.com/blog/tools-for-writing-a-nice-cup-of-tea). This week I’m mostly drinking Assam from [Tea Palace](https://www.theteapalace.co.uk/) on the Kings Road in London. - **Get up earlier**. Here’s how I learned to [get up earlier](https://geekboss.com/blog/get-up-earlier). I can’t tell you what a difference it makes. I recently bought a [Philips Sunrise Simulation wake-up light ](https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008QTYMWO/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B008QTYMWO&linkCode=as2&tag=matthewstibbe-21)and it seems to be making it easier to wake up without feeling grumpy. - **Exercise**. A short run or a light workout completely changes my mood (mainly from ‘not wanting to do it’ to ‘happy it’s over’, but still). [RunKeeper](https://runkeeper.com) is a great app for tracking exercise, or try [C25K](https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/c25k-5k-running-coach-map/id485971733) if you’re just starting out. [![How to choose an agency for your new website](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/289742/aab369e3-a371-48eb-a47f-85895833e378.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/289742/aab369e3-a371-48eb-a47f-85895833e378) Share [![Share on linkedin](https://geekboss.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/GeekBoss%20theme/images/icons/linkedin.svg) ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://geekboss.com/blog/how-to-defeat-monday-mornings&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin) [![Share on facebook](https://geekboss.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/GeekBoss%20theme/images/icons/facebook.svg) ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://geekboss.com/blog/how-to-defeat-monday-mornings&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook) ![Copy to clipboard](https://geekboss.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/GeekBoss%20theme/images/icons/copy.svg) ## Related articles ![Sunrise over the sea](https://geekboss.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot-2021-04-16-at-17_49_47-1-1-1-1.jpg?width=800&height=500&name=Screenshot-2021-04-16-at-17_49_47-1-1-1-1.jpg) ### [How I trained myself to get up earlier](https://geekboss.com/blog/get-up-earlier) I am not what you would call a morning person. At heart, I’m a writer, for heaven’s sake! But getting up early has become really important... By Matthew Stibbe [Productivity](https://geekboss.com/blog/tag/productivity) ![Man sitting on a pile of books](https://geekboss.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/AdobeStock_120894911-1-1024x599-1.jpeg?width=800&height=500&name=AdobeStock_120894911-1-1024x599-1.jpeg) ### [Motherfoucault! How to write better academic papers](https://geekboss.com/blog/how-to-write-better-academic-papers) “Academics get paid for being clever, not for being right.”- Donald Norman The worst academic papers is notorious for using complicated... By Matthew Stibbe [Communication](https://geekboss.com/blog/tag/communication) ![Alarm clock disintegrating](https://geekboss.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/AdobeStock_227086642-1024x684-1.jpeg?width=800&height=500&name=AdobeStock_227086642-1024x684-1.jpeg) ### [Who stole my time?](https://geekboss.com/blog/who-stole-my-time) The day started out so well, yet here you are at the end of it with barely half of your to-do list complete. If productivity is the goal,... 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