Forget Bare Minimum Mondays – Try Max Out Mondays

Let’s face it – we all get Sunday scaries. I used to get them as a kid, not realizing the sentiment was shared across adults too. As I’ve grown older, I’ve learned an easier way to put these weekend woes to rest. I call it Max Out Mondays.

 

I recently read about an opposing concept called “Bare Minimum Mondays”, which sounds like a worrisome practice if you’re a manager or leader. You don’t want your team burning out, but you also want them to make the most of their time at work.

 

The author Marisa Jo Mayes, contends the creation of extra morning space, paired with prioritizing creative work over main tasks, allows her to remain productive while depleting less energy. This seems reasonable, but semantically, the name isn’t broadcasting a healthy message.

 

I’ll admit the concept is interesting and that she makes some good points. For example, emphasizing your “self” over your identity as an “employee” seems perfectly rational. If BMM works for her, then great! But it doesn’t match my personal style, and I’d imagine others feel the same. 

 

Let’s also not forget that most company cultures have a conflicting ethos, where hard work and persistence get rewarded. Putting in the “bare minimum” might preserve your battery, but you might not get ahead in your workload, let alone your career. The harsh reality is that most can’t stomach this concept.

 

While you might think Max Out Mondays sounds extreme, I’d argue they shouldn’t contribute to burn out. The practice involves adopting a flexible mindset of reallocating time efficiently to enable immediate forward momentum – the enemy of your scaries.

 

I’ll sum up my approach with a quote: “nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action.” – Walter Anderson. 

 

A successful friend once shared he had started dedicating 45 minutes on Sundays to “just get his shit together” before the week – a promising thread I couldn’t resist pulling. During a particularly scary Sunday, I gave it a shot. It blew my mind how simple it was and how much relief it provided in the moment.

 

The challenge – you must dedicate no more than 45 minutes to getting yourself organized for Monday. By doing this, you short circuit your fear of starting from scratch. You don’t have to do this every week – only when the scaries come calling. You can do less than 45 too – just do something.

 

Why do I believe in MOM over BMM? Because many scenarios are unavoidable. Monday morning meetings can’t always be escaped. Deadlines, demos, and dollars may be at stake, which command your immediate focus or attention.

 

A 45 minute maximum is doable, if you can stay inside the lines. You’ve failed if you exceed 45, in hopes of taking a larger chunk out of Monday. 

 

Failing means you’ve broken the cardinal sin – you’ve “worked” over the weekend, which is the opposite of the goal we’re striving for, and will definitely contribute to burning out.

 

I work in technology sales, so this may not perfectly match for you, but some tasks might include:

• Organizing / blocking your calendar for focus periods throughout the week
• Assembling parts or components of a project into a single view
• Review notes for upcoming meetings
• Research target customers
• Technology research (news articles, market reports, industry trends, etc.)
• Software updates, clean up browser tabs, restart Mac (your laptop needs a breather too)

None of these tasks require much effort. They’re more like quick hits. Aligning your schedule to your priorities, you’ll be more oriented to knocking down your lead domino and thus relinquishing your fears. When time is up, you can breathe easier. You did your 45, or as my friend would so eloquently say, “you got your shit together.”

 

By the way, your Sunday tasks don’t necessarily have to be work-related to battle your angst. Maybe folding some laundry and vacuuming the house is enough to quell your fears. The key is taking action, not sitting around and waiting to magically feel better.

 

Ok so we’ve made it to Monday morning, and now we’re prepared. But it’s not time to sprint the minute our feet hit the floor.

 

Here’s where I’ll agree with Marisa – the creation of space for a boot-up sequence. I’ve written about brain priming before and why it’s important, so I won’t repeat my suggested practices here. However, Marisa’s 2 hour block feels longer than it needs to be. If you’re working from home, 30-45 minutes of warm up feels like plenty before hitting the starting block.

 

Once you’re primed, Max Out Monday begins.

 

You’ve probably heard weightlifters or fitness fanatics talk about “maxing out” – the process of building up to a maximum limit one can effectively continue to perform repetitions. Short sets, heavy lifts. Max workouts are shorter than normal, because they require more recovery. 

 

When translated to work, that means you target the lead domino, and throw all your might behind it. Front load your day as much as possible to meet your anxieties face-first. If there’s any left from the night before, they’ll dissipate quickly, as will your truncated work day.

 

To successfully complete Max Out Mondays, you must quit your day at least 45 minutes – 1 hour than you normally would.

 

After wrapping early, prioritize activities outside of work, like exercise or buying groceries for a healthy meal. By intentionally calling it quits early, you balance the scale to avoid burn out. Go forth soldier, Monday’s over – you did it.

 

In my view, you have to earn Max Out Mondays. You take it when you need it – you don’t abuse it. You’ll know when a full Monday is required. By first developing a reputation as someone who delivers, you’ll understand when it’s both appropriate and necessary. Once you’ve got a few under your belt, you will have built the resilience of a seasoned Sunday scary warrior – this is how we take back our Sundays.

 

Think of Max Out Mondays like a slinky – you’re simply redistributing the weight of Sunday to Monday by 45 minutes or so. Maybe I’ve made this idea overly complex with this post, but it really can be that simple to defeat your scaries. 

 

Give it a try and let me know if it works for you!