Start beating the Monday blues from Friday

Long weekends, such as the three-day Chinese New Year break, are great. But getting back to the grind is hard.

There are ways to lift a Monday mood better - and they begin on Friday, or at the end of your work week.

END AT A GOOD PLACE

The hardest part of Monday is cranking up. Help yourself on Friday by ending with a task that will be easy to restart on the first day of the new work week.

Leave a sticky note to remind yourself exactly where to pick up from on Monday: You finish the bite-sized task, feel good about the achievement and get on with the rest of the day.

CLEAN YOUR DESK

Instead of working right until the last few minutes and making a dash for a TGIF (thank God it's Friday) dinner, take half an hour to organise your workspace.

Tidy your desk so that a clean worktop greets you when you get back to work.

HAVE A MONDAY REWARD

Fridays herald an anticipation of the weekend - it puts a spring in your step. Use the same sense of anticipation for Mondays.

Plan on a reward. It could be something small like making time for another cuppa - having a treat to look forward to perks up the prospect of Monday.

HAVE MEETINGS ON TUESDAYS

If it is within your power to do so, avoid scheduling meetings on Mondays - especially in the morning, when caffeine levels are low and moods, even lower.

Opt for a late afternoon meeting instead - giving you the earlier part of the day to gear up for it - or huddle on Tuesdays.

But if your boss loves Monday morning for brainstorming or updates, jot down your ideas or reports during "tidy-up" time on Friday evening.

When Sunday rolls around, you know you have Monday covered - it keeps the jitters away.

SLEEP EARLY

The circadian rhythm - your body's 24-hour internal clock - will try to keep any routine you train it to follow.

If you sleep late during the weekend, you will feel groggy on Monday morning when there is no chance to sleep in.

Try to get to bed a little earlier on Sunday night, so you can rise and shine when the alarm clock rings the next morning.

HAVE GRATITUDE

Each evening, write down one thing you are thankful for that day. It can include having a mentor or a supportive colleague.

Keep the week's notes in your drawer. At the start of Monday, read the notes of what you have experienced in the past week.

Studies have shown that people who are grateful feel better about their lives.

HEED WARNING SIGNS

Recognise that "Monday blues" is something bigger than yourself. It is a cultural phenomenon, said happiness-at-work expert Alexander Kjerulf.

Mr Kjerulf, an author and founder and chief happiness officer of Woohoo Inc, told Forbes in 2013 that continually feeling daunted or distressed about Mondays could signal something deeper.

"(It) can be much more than just a passing tiredness; it is often a serious warning sign that something is not right at work," he said.

Confide in a colleague and see where the conversation takes you. It may be that you need a change of role or some corporate time out to refresh your aims at work.

Your mood affects that of those around. It is so much nicer to be around a cheerful person than a gloomy one. Be that person who brings on the smiles.

This article was contributed by Right Management (www.rightmanagement.sg), the global career experts within United States-listed HR consulting firm, ManpowerGroup.