First things first, I am not here to pretend that Mondays are in any way good or tolerable. I wouldn’t lie to you. Let’s all be honest with ourselves here in acknowledging the fact that Monday (or the first day of your working week) is bullshit.

The Monday blues are largely terrible. However, there are some measures you can take that make the grieving process after your weekend a little bit more manageable.

(I feel you, Alice. via Giphy)

---

Get Your Shit Together On Sunday Evening.

Sunday evening is usually designated for pre-Monday fear, right? You sit on the couch trying to pick something to watch on Netflix to fend off the impending work terror but you end up browsing for 45 minutes and watching Paul Blart: Mall Cop.

If you get your stuff for Monday ready on Sunday, it means that you can relax once that’s done, knowing you won’t be panicking running around your house trying to find your other shoe.

Get your bag ready, prep your breakfast if you can and then you can use your Sunday evening for vegetating completely guiltlessly. Beautiful. Wear that Snuggie with pride, girl.

Stop Looking At Your Phone So Much On Sunday.

Yes, work emails and obligations are a thing, but if they can wait 'til Monday, just leave them. Don’t that anxiety or stress take over your Actual Day Off. Otherwise, you’ll be spending your brunch unable to swallow your eggs benedict because of a spreadsheet you haven’t finished yet, and that, my friend, is a  tragedy.

(Maybe don't take it this far. via Giphy)

The compulsion to check your phone constantly is a real struggle (mine is now an extension of my arm), but you need time to chill and try and separate your work life from your precious Chillin’ Time.

Forest is a great app that can help you with this. You can choose the time you are staying off your phone for, and it grows a tiny tree if you succeed.

Get Out For A Walk

If your Monday was incredibly grim, chances are you will just want to go home and order a takeaway and fill one of those full-bottle wineglasses. This is admirable.

(Stunning. via Imgur)

However, another alternative is to dig out your running gear and go for a walk for a while on your own or with a friend.

Your head will be clear and the endorphins in your body will put your worries into perspective.

Watch Beauty Tutorials

If your head is spinning with all the stuff you have to do and you need to decompress, you could do worse than watching a YouTube beauty tutorial.

There’s something really hypnotic watching someone tell you how they achieve their contour or talking about their favourite lipsticks in great detail.

(That's the good stuff. via Giphy)

They’re great to give you something to focus on, and you can also pick up some great tips (if you’re a makeup enthusiast like myself).

Make A Playlist Of Your Favourite Songs

The commute on a Monday morning is one of the circles of hell. There are no seats, and it smells like wet dogs (but there aren’t even any dogs on board. Worrying).

Your headphones are your friends here. Sometimes, though, it’s hard to choose from the vast array of music out there. That’s why you should make a playlist of your favourite bangers.

(via Giphy)

It could just be Zayn’s new track on repeat or the entirety of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Stuff that will cheer you up, no matter how cheesy it is. No shame in your game.

Treat Yo’self

This is the philosophy I live by. It doesn’t even have to be some fancy treats (I for one do not have the budget for a Ladurée macaron), but something tiny like a cute nail polish or a bath bomb can be genuinely healing for the soul.

We all know how the little things are the most important, so take some time out on Monday evening and do something nice. Moisturise to the point of excess, or something.

(Listen to Donna. via Giphy)

Take Ten Minutes

I know, some of you probably think mindfulness is a little bit ridiculous, but it really helps when you feel overwhelmed at the beginning of your working week.

There are some great apps that can help you focus, with the help of some guided meditation. Headspace is just one of these.

(Chill for a minute. via Giphy)

Keep A Diary/Planner

This can be an app, but I find that using a real paper organiser really helps. Distilling my tasks, thoughts and appointments onto a page makes me feel much less overwhelmed, and then there’s the satisfaction of taking an item off a list. Dang.

(via Giphy)