Beating Those Monday Blues

A ONE DAY DETOX FOR YOUR MIND, BODY & SOUL

Do you ever wake up on a Monday morning feeling groggy, tired and out of sorts? The very thought of having to get out your nice warm bed to face the start of a new week just makes you want to crawl back under the duvet and hide there until at least Tuesday? If your answer is yes then maybe what you need is your very own Sunday session :)

Let me share with you some of the things I try and do on a Sunday to help me wake up on a Monday feeling refreshed, energetic and looking forward to the start of a new week – with no Monday blues (or Mondayites ) as I like to call it in sight!

Kick start your Sunday (and your kidneys) with a cup of hot water with freshly squeezed lemon. Follow it up by a nice breakfast such as salmon and eggs (poached, boiled or scrambled) with tomatoes and a cup of green tea (or 5 cups if you are me.) Actually this is a really nice way to start every day)

Go for a nice walk (Greenwich Park is my personal favourite) use the time to gather your thoughts – NO THINKING OF WORK instead think of 4 or 5 nice things that you did or

happened to you the week before. You will start to realise that people walking past keep smiling at you, that’s because without realising it you are smiling yourself – seriously – try it.

Set yourself a little quick workout challenge. If you look good, you’ll feel good. One I like to do is a 6 minute abs challenge. The challenge being - you try and do it without stopping and more importantly, keep it slow and controlled so you feel every rep. Here it is if you would like to give it a go:

1 min of crunches, straight into 1 min of Russian twists. Back to 1 min of crunches, straight into 1 min of leg lowers. Back to 1 min of crunches, straight into 1 min of bicycles.

Spend some time making a list of all the things you’d like to get done that week. We all get bogged down by thinking... so much to do – so little time. Divvy the list up into days. You’ll be surprised at how much breaking it down will make the week ahead so much less daunting.

Cook a nice healthy lunch then afterwards, (once you’ve washed up of course ) pick a task you have been putting off for ages (clearing out that cupboard, filling in a form, sorting that spare room, making that well over due phone call / email to family member or friend etc.. etc..) and just get it completed. It will seem like a chore at the time but once it’s done, it will be a weight off your mind. It really can be quite amazing how stuff like this can really lift your spirits and mood.

Run a nice hot bubble bath. Use soothing bath oils such as lavender. Apply a face pack (I like the Tea Tree mud masks ones) Stick on some good tunes and totally chill out in the bath. Use a nice body scrub (favourite ones of mine are the Sanctuary Spa range – hot sugar scrub or the salt scrub. Exfoliate using gentle circular motions and remember to moisture after. This will help keep your skin healthy, supple and from drying out. Also give over worked feet a treat by using Boots Gorgeous Feet Reviving Overnight Rescue cream.

Dig out one of your recipe books and cook something you’ve never cooked before. Or if you are brave in the kitchen (am not massively I have to admit) invent a new dish. If it turns out nice, remember make sure you bring it along to the Monday morning class so we can all try it ;)

So there you have it. No magical answers but I know when I at least manage to do some of the above on a Sunday, it definitely makes a difference to how I start my week. The first sign being I don’t have a pressing urge to hurl my alarm clock across the room on a Monday morning and I'm ready to 'Work Off My Weekend' at 7am ;)

Monica xx