Monday Motivation: Striking a Balance
This article was originally published on May 18, 2020 at https://gritdaily.com/monday-motivation-balance/
Monday motivation, we need it, let’s go! We see you, struggling to get your day started and in need of a pick-me-up to launch your week on the right foot. Studies show that your morning mood affects your productivity all day. Grit Daily is here to get your work week off to a good start. Pump your fists – it’s time for Monday Motivation! And, guess what? We’ve revamped our popular Monday Motivation podcast – stay tuned for that relaunch …
A little of this …
And a little of that. That’s balance, right? For decades, people have been on a quest to find work-life balance. In fact, as a society, we’ve collectively been on a mission to define what “work-life balance” means and have hotly debated how we should achieve it. The bottom line is that “balance” is deeply personal and how one person achieves it may be unrealistic for someone else. Making a Monday motivation style effort to work towards it is what it’s all about.
Monday motivation tips to have balance in your life
Yes, adding a yoga practice into your life is a good way to bring balance (I feel the lack thereof given that my favorite yoga studio has been closed for nearly three months) but it’s not the only way. Yoga isn’t for everyone. So, what else can you do?
#1 – take a day off
In this COVID-19 era of working from home and never leaving our homes, days of the week have become blurred. Previously, we had weekends to delineate our work lives versus our home lives but we’ve lost the punctuation that a Friday brings to a work-week. Whatever you’re doing, be it studying or working, take one day to yourself to do something other than what you’re doing day in, day out.
For example, I spent Sunday in my garden, avoiding my phone, slack messages, emails and even avoiding my team. I needed to recharge and I did so by puttering around in the dirt under a sunny, blue sky. It’s been a while since I unplugged; so long, in fact, that I didn’t remember how good that it felt.
#2 – be slightly pessimistic
What?! I can almost hear the shock and horror coming through my screen. Isn’t Monday motivation all about optimism, positivity and seeing the glass half full? Yes, of course it is, but there’s an interesting new study that shows a little pessimism can actually be a good thing during a global pandemic.
Researchers found that optimists are having trouble sustaining a positive outlook as the lockdowns and uncertainty around the planet’s future continue month after month. In contrast, those who were slightly negative around the idea of a global rebound seemed to more self-confident and better prepared to deal with pending failure. It’s called “defensive pessimism” and it just might be exactly what we all need right now. The key is balance – a little goes a long way – too much becomes toxic for your own mental health and it will drive people away.
#3 – exercise once per day
Okay, the secret is out. Monday motivation, in all transparency, I haven’t achieved this – yet. Each week, I’m walking more days than I did the week before, but I have a ways to go until I can string together seven days in a row, then two weeks of seven days in a row, but I’m working towards it. Taking that mid-day break, starting or ending your work day with a walk, some stretching, a full-on workout or a run is the perfect way to bring balance into your life and to demarcate the transition between work (or school) and home life.
Parting thoughts
Balance is up to you and how you achieve it but it is something that you should consider in every aspect of your life. For example, think about your diet; a little ice-cream or some pizza once in a while is fine but too much of a good thing can have negative effects. The same holds true with drinking, sleeping, hours that you’re working, etcetera. Monday motivation reminds all of us to take some time each day to give ourselves a break and to reflect on what we want more of versus less of, starting right NOW. Have a fabulous week!
If you’re a podcast person, gain some inspiration and insights from our guests on my “Like a Boss” content: listen here on our Grit Daily podcast channel on Apple iTunes. Or return here each week for our Monday Motivation quick tips. Finally, if you like my writing, check out my new novel, The Battle for Humanity, it’s a thriller you won’t be able to put down. Have a fabulous week!
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