How I Made Monday The Most Exciting Day Of The Week

You’re sitting down on the first pew right before the altar on a holy Sunday morning, and the preacher screams excitedly, “This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!” But then you remember that the very next day is Monday, and though it is a day that the Lord made, but for you, it’s not exactly one that makes you rejoice.

That was my exact feeling many years ago in the city of Enugu with its dusty soil and rusty brown roofs. I was fresh out of the University, and in a hurry to start making my mark as an entrepreneur. I was starting a fitness consulting firm, and I was excited about the prospects of the business. I remember walking into Room 112 one Friday evening after a mentally and physically exhausting day, with my black shoe now brown from dust and my jacket soaked in sweat from walking the hot city. Room 112 was the hostel room I was squatting in, belonging to my friend. I couldn’t afford to rent a house at that time, and living with him – a medical student, was just the way to go. Diving on one of the many mattresses on the floor felt like taking a chilled bottle of Sprite under an angry sun. It was Friday, and it meant one thing – Freedom!

I dreaded Monday. It meant another week of frustration over a city that wouldn’t let me in, over a business that wouldn’t sell, and over a life that seemed to pass me by. The weekend was too short, and Monday was just three days away.

I’d felt the fear of Monday was just something unique to entrepreneurs, until a few years later, I visited my friend, Kobi, in Lagos. Kobi was working for a pharmaceutical company in the outskirts of Lagos. This meant he woke up by 3am everyday so as to beat the crazy Lagos traffic. Monday was the most important day of the business week for him. It meant staff meetings, new task assignments, and annoying bosses. It felt as though everybody was just angry. From bus drivers cutting across lanes as though racing to their death, to passengers cursing with everything in them. And after spending hours in traffic getting to work, he then had to deal with cranky and grumpy coworkers. He couldn’t wait for the week to be over, and for the weekend to start again. Weekend meant one thing – Freedom!

And that’s the story of many in the world.

Over the years, I’ve grown and developed as an entrepreneur and I’ve built some passion based businesses that have made me fall in love with Monday. It’s as though I look forward to the next Monday with excitement, and I’ll be sharing with you how to make Monday tick for you.

 

1. The weekend is just like any other day.

Most people live for the weekends. They look forward to it, and despair whenever it’s over. For most people it’s the time for major social events such as wedding ceremonies, hangouts, parties, picnics and everything else the weekdays don’t offer. One way to get out of what I call the weekend trap is to start doing some of the fun things you only leave for the weekend, on weekdays. You can go for Karaoke on Thursdays, movie nights every Wednesday after work, Gym on Tuesdays, etc. Besides, things are usually cheaper on weekdays. This way, the weekday begins to resemble your weekend.

 

2. Plan ahead.

Never underestimate the power of a well-planned week. I love to plan my week on Sundays. I usually like doing the most creative tasks I have for the week on Mondays, that way, I look forward to starting the week. A well-planned week brings with it excitement. Brian Tracy once said, “A clear vision, backed by definite plans, gives you a tremendous feeling of confidence and personal power.”

 

3. Your life is more than just your job

It’s true that you may not like your job, but your life is more than just what you do for a living. The reason most people dread Mondays is because they don’t like their jobs, and they’re afraid of taking that next step. According to a world poll by Gallup, most people hate their jobs. In fact, as much as 85% of the world workforce are not engaged in their jobs, as this is as a result of many reasons – from their boss, colleagues, nature of the job, inability to grow in the job, to other issues such as jealousy, and many other reasons.

So why do most people still stay in their jobs despite hating it? One major reason is responsibility. You’d think that if one doesn’t like their job, they can just leave, right? But things aren’t that simple, because when you remember that there are kids that must be taken care of, extended family to support, social responsibilities, and every other bill that needs to be paid,  the idea of leaving the job they’re currently on, especially with no assurance of a better job waiting, becomes less appealing.

 

So yes I understand. I understand you may be currently tied to a contract, or you’re simply afraid of the unknown, or afraid of being wrong. However, you have to be able to start separating your job from your calling or purpose. Your job doesn’t have to be your entire life. If there are other things your heart beckons on, like volunteering at a church, helping poor kids on the street get off the street, etc., then start getting involved with those as well while also working at your job. This helps you face the week knowing that, Monday is not just a day to slave yourself away at a job you dislike, but also to contribute some of your time, even if it’s just an hour, to something bigger than yourself.

 

4. Turn your passion into a business.

Now, this is the major reason why I look forward to Mondays, and of course, every other day of the week, because I wake up every day with the feeling of being alive. Of course, they’re still days when you’re not feeling like it, but for most parts, you feel alive. We are very familiar with this quote by Marc Anthony, “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” And I’ve found this to be particularly true for me.

You don’t have to leave your job just to start out on your passion, you can start a small business by the side, while working your job. When your side hustle grows big enough that it pays you more than your current job, it may then be time to leave your job, and face your passion full time.

 

5. Work from home.

Remote work is getting more popular by the day. In fact, it’s the future of work. The way that organizations look at remote work is constantly evolving. It costs businesses less to hire remote workers. And more and more people looking for career change are opting for organizations that offer the flexibility of working from home. So while working your current job, you could begin scouting for jobs online that can allow you work from home. Mondays will seem less stressful when working from home than when you have to wake up early to commute to work.

 

6. Change your perspective.

It was Oprah Winfrey that said, “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never have enough.” Sometimes all you need is a change of perspective. Stop seeing Monday as a monster and start seeing it as a gift that ushers you into a new beginning – one that you must face with your head held high, smile spread wide, and a towering hope. It’s all in the mind. Like Irving Berlin would say, “Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it.”

Sincerely, thank you for reading.

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