Unpacking The Monday Blues: Motivation And Productivity At Work

The influence of different days on productivity and the emotions they evoke

Monday, the first day of every workweek, arouses extreme emotions. The mere thought of it leaves us feeling groggy, unmotivated, and overwhelmed by the endless list of tasks that lay ahead. But at the end of the rainbow are Fridays, the best workweek day that conjures up visions of a blissful weekend filled with leisure and fun.
 

Have you ever wondered if Mondays truly deserve their notorious reputation as the worst day of the week? Or are Fridays really as awesome as we tend to believe? And what about the other workdays? Are they secretly the key to optimal productivity and emotional well-being?

In this article, we explore the truth about Mondays and the broader emotional landscape of the working week. Drawing on recent research by Zety, we uncover surprising findings about the ups and downs of different days, productivity levels, and motivation.

The Worst Days of the Workweek

Not all days were created equal. As much as we try to shake off the "Monday Blues," a significant portion of people still feel a certain degree of reluctance toward the start of the workweek. In fact, according to a recent study, 41% of participants chose Monday as the day they dislike the most in the working week.

Then, the next most hated days are:
●    Wednesday (20%),
●    Tuesday (16%),
●    Friday (13%),
●    Thursday (10%).

But there is more evil hidden on Mondays. 8 in 10 respondents (80%) say these days are the most stressful throughout the workweek. This is due to task-related issues such as heavy workload or expecting to work overtime but also work atmosphere, including:
●    high-pressure work environment,
●    workplace bullying,
●    discrimination, or unequal treatment

But one more secret ingredient contributing to increased stress is “Sunday scaries.” Monday syndrome or Sunday scaries are terms used to describe negative emotions that individuals experience at the end of the weekend or the start of a new week.

Most employees (92%) have experienced stress when Mondays come, with 54% reporting it sometimes happens, 20% saying it’s rare, 10% admitting it often happens, and 8% experiencing it every week.

Sunday scaries are most common among the self-employed (19% say they’re always stressed when Mondays come), those working in business and finance (18%), and employees earning $75,000 or more (17%), but also Generation Z with 98% of respondents aged younger than 25 experiencing pre-Monday anxiety.

Bad Days Are Unavoidable

In addition to the most hated days of the week, employees also have to face other bad days when the whole day turns out to be a disaster. And bad days at work are inevitable, with 65% of people experiencing them at least once a week.

The days when things most often don't go our way are Wednesday, with 30% of respondents indicating it as their bad day, followed by Monday (25%), Tuesday (24%), Thursday (13%), and Friday (8%).

While work-related factors are the main cause of bad days (50%), external personal factors contribute 42%.

Cracking the Code of Workweek Productivity

More than 9 in 10 respondents (95%) experience changing productivity levels across the workweek. This variability can be attributed to various factors such as workload, task complexity, personal life events, and even personal mood or attitude.

Still, some days appear to be more productive than others.

About a third of the survey respondents (33%) claim that Wednesday is the most productive day for them, mainly when there’s a heavy workload or approaching deadlines, which motivates them to finish their tasks quickly. Monday (22%) is ranked second, followed by Tuesday (17%), Thursday (15%), and Friday (12%).

On the other hand, Friday is considered the least productive day by more than 2 in 5 respondents. And it’s not surprising as Friday is the day that kicks off our weekend and puts work to bed.

The research also gave the participants a range of hours and asked them to indicate when they typically are the most productive. The results showed that most workers (51%) feel most productive during the last four working hours, from 1:00 to 5:00 pm.

The first four hours of the day (9:00 am to 1:00 pm) are the most productive time for 43%, while the smallest percentage of workers (6%) felt the most effective during the midday hours of 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

This breakdown is vital as it allows for work planning according to productivity levels, and this is what’s actually done by almost all respondents (97%).

Potential Benefits of a Shorter Work Week

While 85% support a 4-day workweek, 53% believe the current 5 days and 40 hours are insufficient for completing necessary tasks. This often leads to employees working overtime or feeling overwhelmed by their workload.

However, 81% of respondents believe a 4-day workweek would increase their productivity and motivation.

In addition, researchers have compiled a comprehensive list of alternative work schedules, and surprisingly, the current working system with a slight modification is the preferred option based on the results. The most attractive work schedule for employees is 5 days per week at 7 hours per day (35 hours total). This was the choice of 49% of respondents.

Moreover:
●    27% preferred the traditional 5-day, 8-hour week (40 hours total),
●    18% chose a 4-day, 8-hour week (32 hours total),
●    5% preferred a 4-day, 10-hour week (40 hours total)

This data suggests that employees are more motivated and productive when they work fewer hours daily, Monday to Friday, as it allows for handling all professional duties while improving productivity and work-life balance by reducing one hour per day. On the other hand, the least popular option is working 10 hours daily for 4 days, which decreases motivation and productivity while increasing mental fatigue.

To summarize, 8 out of 10 respondents agreed that working 6 or 7 hours per day instead of 8 would increase their commitment and motivation to work.

Author Bio

Nina Pączka is a career advisor and job search expert at Zety. She offers professional expertise to everyone wanting to gain insight into the job market. Her professional advice and guidance help people find a satisfying job and pursue a career. Nina’s mission is to support jobseekers in their path leading to finding a perfect job. Connect Nina Pączka