How is your Monday?
We all know the Monday jokes. And I bet we all complained at least once about the fact that the weekend is over and a new work week is about to start. Well, I’ll admit, it happened to me more than once. And every time I asked myself what is it that I don’t really like. Is it the fact I have to get up early? Is it the fact I don’t like working? I don’t think I ever felt sorry that Monday comes during vacation time. Or could that mean that I don’t like my job, the company and the team I work with?
The Monday Blues
Maybe you heard about the ‘Monday Blues’ defined by Alexander Kjerulf, an expert on happiness at work:
“the negative emotions that many people get at the beginning of the workweek if they're not happy at work”
I gave this definition a thought.
I started by making a list with what’s important for me in order to be happy at work. It looks like this:
- Having ownership, ‘my job is mine’. Researches talk now about a new kind of ownership, the psychological ownership. This makes an employee feel that the company he works for is his/hers.
- Having autonomy, being able to take decisions.
- Being able to express ideas, concerns, opinions that contradict what others say.
- Mistakes should be permitted; and haven’t I done like a million of them. Making mistakes is a sign that you had the courage to try something. They are a way of learning and experiencing new things.
- Flexibility regarding my working schedule and the way I organize my tasks, activity.
- The team I’m part of. I need to say that my colleagues offered me so much support, professionally and personally. I have all the reasons to be grateful and happy to work and spend time with them.
Do I have all these above at my current job? I’m lucky enough to respond with a firm yes, I do. Then what could be the problem when I’m not happy to hear the alarm clock especially in the first morning after Sunday? I’m still looking for this answer :).
My Mondays are great
Until I find it, I’ll keep in mind what someone told me once:
“Monday is the perfect day to correct the last week’s mistakes”
This is a great perspective and opportunity to bring a smile on our faces when we feel a little bit down on a Monday morning or on any other working day.
Happy Monday everybody!
