Monday – From creating a new health plan to investing in the stock market, it is in your best interest to tackle certain activities on the first day of the week.
1. Start a diet
No matter how tired you are on Monday mornings, you have to admit: the first day of the week offers a refreshing opportunity to start over. This feeling is especially helpful when it comes to starting a healthy diet, according to a report from the University of Pennsylvania. “Some days, called time marks, you have a different view of yourself,” Jason Riis, co-author of the report, told the show TODAY. “You are becoming more forward-looking.” The trick is not to tire your new plan on Wednesday. And if you fall off the wagon, don’t wait until the following Monday to start over. Come back the next morning.
2. Communicate with your colleagues
Monday blues are real, and scientists believe one of the obvious reasons we get them could be traced back to our primitive days. “Humans are social animals, and to feel happy and belongingness, we need to feel comfortable in our place in a ‘tribe,’ so to speak,” writes Mental Floss. “Even after only two days of absence, according to scientists, we have to make sure that our place in our working environment is safe. Gossiping with your coworkers is an integral part of preparing for the workweek, and if you don’t, you may not feel well. “It’s an exciting idea, and at the very least, you’ll appreciate the recovery time. (If that’s not enough, these fun cartoons should get you through the week.)
3. Invest in the stock market
If you’ve invested in the stock market, you already know the key is to buy low and sell high. And it turns out that due to many market factors, stocks tend to fall on Mondays. That’s bad if you’re planning to sell, but if you’re in the market to add to your portfolio, you’re probably running a bargain.
It would be best if you also avoided those financial mistakes that cost you thousands of dollars.
4. Wash your hands
For some reason – and we’re not starting to speculate – Monday is the most common day of the week to call in sick. In fact, according to a British study, more than a third of all sick days occur on the first day of the week. It’s hard to say whether that’s because Monday is the day you’re most likely to get sick, or because an astonishing number of people want a three-day weekend. Whatever it is, we leave you this advice: on Mondays and every day wash your hands.
Make sure to avoid these common handwashing mistakes!
5. Make you sweat
For similar reasons, Monday is a great day to start a new diet, but it’s also the perfect time to reach your fitness goals. A report from Jawbone found Monday to be the most popular day of the week for gym members (in pre-pandemic times, when all gyms were open, that is). Even though your favourite fitness centre is currently banned, you can still increase your heart rate by running or even taking a brisk walk.
Do you need the motivation to start? Here’s what happens when you start walking 10,000 steps a day.
6. Make a feasible and productive to-do list
When it comes to goal setting, what better day of the week for explaining things than Monday? Research published in Psychological Science suggests that we are more likely to accomplish our career goals if we start on a Monday instead of a Thursday. And while there are tons of ways to create the perfect to-do list of your tasks, and we love this goal-setting idea from Peter Gasca. “I make a point of setting myself an aggressive new personal goal for the week, such as trying out a new exercise, reading a book or learning a new song on the guitar,” she writes on Inc. “The goal is to motivate you during your busy week to pursue an interest you enjoy outside of work.”
Opinions expressed by US Insider contributors are their own.
