The Origins of Blue Monday

Every January, the internet goes abuzz with warnings about Blue Monday, the most depressing day of the year. It’s a popular marketing stunt that has unfortunately become part of modern culture. Blogs share their tips to help you beat the gloom, companies jump at the opportunity to promote their feel-good products and services, and social media follows suit.

The origins of Blue Monday

According to research by UK’s Sky Travel, the term monday blues has been around for over a century. It’s a term that refers to the feelings of sadness, stress and low motivation that occur on the first Monday of the work week following a long holiday. It can also be a sign that a person has low motivation levels to get work done or to return to a normal routine at work.

The blues don’t affect everyone the same way, though. For example, a study found that married men and students at universities are more likely to experience the Monday blues than non-students. The reason for this difference is that university students have more intense feelings of stress and a larger variance in mood on Mondays than those who are not studying at a university.

There isn’t a single scientific theory to explain the Monday blues, but one theory suggests that they may be linked to the fact that people tend to approach stressors at the beginning of the week differently than at the end. That’s because they don’t want the weekend to end, they don’t feel excited about starting a new week, and they feel overwhelmed by workplace responsibilities.

A common symptom of the Monday blues is feeling sad on Monday morning, which can make it difficult to focus and work efficiently. It can also lead to feelings of irritability and anger.

If you have Monday blues, it’s important to understand why you are feeling this way so that you can take action. For example, if you’re dreading the start of a new work week because you have too much to do and a demanding boss, you need to talk to the manager about ways you can manage the workload. You may be able to request more time for certain projects or move them to another day of the week.

You might also have to address the source of your stress, whether it’s a demanding boss or a frustrating co-worker. If it’s the nature of your job, for example, you might be better off if you were working in a different line of work.

Having the Monday blues can be a sign that you’re not happy in your current career or workplace, says Ely. If you’re unhappy in your job, consider changing to a position where you’re happier or find something more exciting. If you’re not a fan of your co-workers, step up and speak to them about their attitudes and how they are treating you.

Music to help you beat the Monday blues

There are plenty of songs that talk about how Mondays can be difficult, but they all have something in common: a message that there is more to life than work and school. Here are a few examples:

Merle Haggard

The classic country song “Monday Monday” by Merle Haggard is about two lovers taking the weekend off to try to make their relationship work. The song also hints that if the week doesn’t turn out the way they want it to, they can call it quits.