Garfield Was Wrong about Mondays

Growing up, I was an avid reader of Garfield comic books. These books weren’t challenging, epic, or educational in any way. They were just silly and fun. I didn’t read every book (there are over 60), but I read the first 30 or so before I reached adulthood.

It’s impossible to read Garfield without learning these two principles: Lasagna is good and Mondays are bad.

Mondays

Why Garfield hates Mondays is a bit of a mystery since he doesn’t have a job. While researching for this article, I stumbled across some twitter threads with some downright bizarre, yet funny fan theories. If you are a Garfield fan, check this out.

Job or no job, Garfield’s hatred for Mondays reflects a common ethos that is probably self-evident, but I’ll take a little time to explain it anyway.

TGIF

Before you have a chance to hate Mondays, you probably start off with TGIF attitude. TGIF stands for Thank Goodness It’s Friday. Work is a grind, and Friday is the light at the end of the tunnel. Once you reach the end of your workday on Friday, you are finally free to live for the weekend. That means it’s time to be free of all obligations and do whatever you please.

Some people use their weekend time to party hard, leaving them in bad shape come Monday morning. They enter their new work week at a low-point and grind out another week with an eye towards the next weekend.

This cycle is pretty common and often quite destructive. There is a better way.

I love Mondays

I’ll say it again. I love Mondays. I really do. Mondays are my favorite day of the work week. Yes, I love my job, but there is more to it than that. Here’s what I’ve noticed:

Energy. I’ll admit that I don’t always get enough sleep during the week. Like many of you, I catch up on sleep over the weekend. That means that I arrive at work on Monday morning more rested than any other day of the week.

Mental focus. I work hard during the week. Weeknights don’t offer much of a break from my mental workload, however, on weekends, I really unplug from my job. Even if I don’t physically relax, I often fill my weekends with activities that are altogether different mentally. I’ll often work on household chores, which tax my body, but relax my mind.

What this means for my Fridays

Fridays for me are the absolute low point in my week for energy and mental focus. I’ve mentioned previously on this blog that I spend Monday-Thursday in meetings, making strategic decisions. I reserve Fridays to work from home and catch up on my administrative tasks, desk work, and follow-up activities.

I’ve structured my work week around these observations. I plan my strategic and creative work early in the week. If I do it then, I will do my best work, with the least effort. I intentionally plan my administrative work for the end of the week.

Due to circumstances out of my control, I cannot always adhere to this schedule. Sometimes I need to do creative and strategic work on a Friday. I can do it, but it takes a lot of effort, and will often not be my best work. If I can anticipate this need, I will carefully recharge myself mid-week and not run so hard like I typically do.

Garfield was wrong

Mondays are the best. Honestly, I like Friday’s too, because it’s my chance to clear my desk and clear my mind going into the weekend. If I had to pick one day that’s the toughest, it would have to be Thursdays. Just like Arthur Dent from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, I often think, “This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays.”

Here’s my challenge to all of you: Think about your energy and mental focus. Think about your work week, your weekends, and your sleep patterns. Are you scheduling the right kinds of activities for the right conditions? How much more effective will you be in your job and life if you do? I have no idea if my observations about myself are universal or just about me. Take some time to observe, experiment, and plan to make the most of your work week.

Long live Mondays!

Read this article on my blog site or listen to it on my podcast.