It’s Monday, and it’s likely you’re feeling a little deflated because the weekend is over and there’s five days of hard work to push through before it’s here again.

Here’s something you may never have considered: There’s a lot to love about Mondays! It’s the best day for fresh starts, positive attitudes and refreshed outlooks on life. It’s also the best day to set yourself new challenges and goals to conquer.

Start your Monday off right:

1. Make a to do list
   Set out all your tasks in one tidy list. Establishing what you want to achieve (for the day or the week) will encourage productivity and define your outlook.
   Handy tip: Grouping similar items/tasks together is a great way to organise your list and will help you feel a little less overwhelmed and all over the place!
2. Start that resolution you’ve been meaning to for ages
   Whether it’s savings, fitness or even reading that book that’s been sitting on your desk for months, Monday is the perfect day to tackle a new resolution. Studies show that people are more likely to keep to resolutions (such as diets) when they begin on a Monday – this is because beginnings bring renewed determination, clarity and resolve!
3. Get one task done immediately
   Start your Monday positively, tackle a task you know you can conquer. This immediate sense of accomplishment will encourage you to keep going and remind you that your week’s challenges are all totally surmountable!
4. Plan something to look forward to on Monday evening
   It can be tough transitioning from the weekend if you don’t have much to look forward to on Monday. Plan something for your Monday that has you springing out of bed in the morning, be it going out for a meal, catching up with friends, watching your favourite TV show, or simply treating yourself to a block of chocolate!
5. Schedule your social plans for the week
   Your Monday will look so much brighter with certain milestones throughout the week to look forward to. Use Mondays to plan out your week and decide what exciting activity you’re doing on the weekend!

Fun facts about Monday:

• Historically, Monday is the least likely day of the week to experience rain. This is thought to be a result of less production of man-made pollution on the weekend, influencing the weather outlook on Mondays!
• Monday is the most popular day for online shopping. This may contribute to the fact that it’s also the least productive day of the week, as motivation levels are lowest at the beginning of the week! (People on average complete only 3.5 hours of work on a Monday!)
• The name for Monday comes from the Old English word Mōnandæg, which stems from the original Latin translation “dies lunae”, or “day of the moon”.
• Monday is the best day to buy a car. Most car sales occur on the weekend, so you won’t find as many deals. In contrast, vendors are more willing to offer special deals on Mondays as it’s a typically slow sales day and they’re looking to increase their profits.
• There were 53 Mondays in 2012 and 2018, something that won’t happen again until the year 2024.
• The term ‘Blue Monday’ originated from being once considered washing day. ‘Bluing’ occurred on Mondays to prevent white clothes from fading.