A new week dawns. Many groan over the Monday morning alarm. It’s often challenging to get back into a routine when you’ve experienced a restful, playful and overall enjoyable weekend. Isn’t there some way to look forward to Monday? Seems it would behoove us all to find that key because most would benefit by finding that one little element that causes us to feel a positive anticipation when the alarm goes off and Monday’s face peeps into the fuzzy blanket of dreams.
I find that on Sunday evening a little cloud begins to emerge. Some tell me they actually get pretty depressed on Sunday nights. What a shame! We waste some valuable weekend time, dreading the new week. There must be a reason that we do that. Don’t many of us have the careers we dreamed of—the job we went for with great gusto? And of course, many do not have that, though it’s a great time to remind ourselves what it would be like without a job when we need one.
As I was perusing facebook comments and memes which always include laments over Mondays, I began to wonder why year after year we don’t conquer that little devil. Is it because we just enjoy complaining about Monday? Maybe. Or, does it run deeper than that?
Maybe we need to have a paradigm shift. We need to take hold of this little rascal of doom and put him to rest for good. Here are a few ideas to help in stopping the dread of Monday.
Ways to Look Forward to Monday:
- Make a conscious decision on Friday as you leave work to be positive about Monday. Leave work at work; take a deep breath as you leave. Mentally leave it there.
- Before you go, deposit a little encouraging note with your favorite scripture, saying or inspirational words on your desk or somewhere at your workplace to find on Monday morning. C’mon–just try it. You’ll surprise yourself!
- Every time you think of work over the weekend, stop and switch gears to focus on being present with family, friends and activities, so that your work energy is stored up for the new week. Your quality of weekend activities will be enhanced as well.
- Pray for a love of what you do; that you could perform your duties as unto the Lord, no matter how much a stretch that might seem.
- Ask God to give you creative ideas to make your work more meaningful and enjoyable. Be alert and watch for ways God is answering that request.
- Evaluate your level of “serving.” Do you have a ‘servant heart’ as we’re taught in scripture? No matter what your level of expertise or power, serving others in some way will bring favor with God and man….and a sense of peace and fulfillment in your heart.
- If you are miserable and feel that your career is not what it should be, begin to ask God to move that mountain and position you in the right place of work.
- If you have conflict in your workplace, realize that you do not fight flesh and blood, but spirits of darkness. Pray accordingly. One thing I learned through years of office conflicts, is that when I began to pray for my enemies with the right motives, things changed. I changed; they changed. God worked and it was a blessing.
- Start your Monday morning with positive affirmations, scriptures, praise music, and determination to see a productive week. Don’t agree with the enemy. Send your agreements into the spirit realm to connect with God’s promises. He wants you to have joy, at home and at work.
- Tell yourself that you look forward to Monday because it’s a fresh week with a clean slate. If you’re refreshed from a good weekend, an attitude of gratitude emerges and you become a light in a dark world. Isn’t that what you want?
Work as unto the Lord and as unto men. Whatever you do, workheartily, as for the Lord and not for men,knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24
But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:43-45
So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them? Eccles 3:22
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matt 5:44
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12