Image via Garfield Hates Mondays

Ugh, Monday. That’s the first thought that crosses my mind every Sunday evening when the first day of the week looms over me. Because let’s be real, we all loathe Mondays.

It’s always harder to get out of bed, at least one thing always goes wrong, and somehow we stumble to the finish line in a dazed state of complete and utter confusion.

Now how can we take this mundane day of the week and make it something worthwhile? Try these tips and your next Monday won’t be so lame.. heck, you might even enjoy it:

1. Pack a feast for lunch or prep one for dinner- Who says that the weekend is the only time to eat well? Make homemade soup on Sunday night for Monday’s lunch, or take out the crock pot and prep for a warm and delicious slow cooked meal to enjoy after work.

2. Make plans- Talk to your coworkers or friends and make plans to go out to lunch or hang out after work. Enjoy a glass (or two) of wine and an appetizer at a restaurant or sweat out the day’s stress in a fitness class.

3. Work it out- Study after study has shown that exercise is not only key in keeping your body healthy, but keeping your mind healthy as well. This doesn’t mean you have to do two hours of intense cardio (but if that’s your thing, go for it!), but jogging or walking on the treadmill, doing some yoga or lifting some weights will get your endorphins going and shed some light on this dreary day.

4. Or take it easy- Maybe you had a little too much fun on Friday and Saturday, and need to recover… no worries, it’s only the first day of the week! Queue up Netflix, and curl up with dinner and a glass of wine (or water) and decompress.

How do you get through a rough Monday? I’d love to hear your tips; let me know in the comments below!