{"id":52508,"title":"Monday Off, Bliss On","description":"There\u2019s something deliciously rebellious about having a Monday off, isn\u2019t there? When everyone else is trudging to their desks, wrestling with their inboxes, and pretending to be delighted by their Teams notifications \u2014 ping! \u2014 I\u2019m still in my dressing gown, sipping coffee that\u2019s gone cold but somehow still tastes like freedom. No meetings. No \u201cquick calls","content":"

There\u2019s something deliciously rebellious about having a <\/span>Monday off<\/span><\/strong>, isn\u2019t there? When everyone else is trudging to their desks, wrestling with their inboxes, and pretending to be delighted by their Teams notifications \u2014 <\/span>ping!<\/span><\/em> \u2014 I\u2019m still in my dressing gown, sipping coffee that\u2019s gone cold but somehow still tastes like freedom.<\/span><\/p>

No meetings. No \u201cquick calls.\u201d No pretending that the Teams sound doesn\u2019t make me flinch like a Victorian heroine hearing a gunshot. Just\u2026 quiet.<\/span><\/p>

It\u2019s almost disorienting, this lack of alertness. I\u2019m not braced for someone needing something <\/span>immediately<\/span><\/em>. I\u2019m not side-eyeing my to-do list or thinking about deliverables. I\u2019m just <\/span>being<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>

A day like this feels like a deep breath I didn\u2019t realise I\u2019d been holding.<\/span><\/p>

So, I\u2019m spending it doing gloriously ordinary things \u2014 tidying a corner that\u2019s been quietly judging me, watching a film I\u2019ve already seen twice, pottering about with no agenda, and letting my brain soften around the edges. A little headspace to think about <\/span>me<\/span><\/em> rather than the constant needs of others.<\/span><\/p>

And yes, I know \u2014 I\u2019m paid to do a job. I\u2019m aware of that, fully. But why does it sometimes feel like work needs to come wrapped in this relentless pressure? The expectation to be available, responsive, and upbeat \u2014 all at once \u2014 is exhausting. It\u2019s not the work itself that drains us, it\u2019s the <\/span>pace<\/span><\/em>, the constant <\/span>on<\/span><\/em> mode. The Monday off feels like a quiet rebellion against that.<\/span><\/p>

Coaching Tip: Ditch the Tuesday Scaries<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Before the creeping guilt or panic sets in about tomorrow\u2019s return to reality, here\u2019s a little coaching reminder:<\/span><\/p>

Presence is power.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Today is for <\/span>today<\/span><\/em>. Let yourself enjoy the stillness, the slowness, the luxury of not rushing. Don\u2019t spend your Monday off emotionally living in Tuesday. The inbox will still be there \u2014 it always is \u2014 but <\/span>you<\/span><\/em> deserve this mental space.<\/span><\/p>

So go on, exhale.
Have another cuppa.
The world won\u2019t end if you\u2019re not on alert for one day.<\/span><\/p>","urlTitle":"the-stroppy-colleague-monday-off-bliss-on","url":"\/blog\/the-stroppy-colleague-monday-off-bliss-on\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/the-stroppy-colleague-monday-off-bliss-on\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/thestroppycolleague.com\/blog\/the-stroppy-colleague-monday-off-bliss-on\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1759756004,"updatedAt":1759756720,"publishedAt":1759756720,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":292132,"name":"The Stroppy Colleague"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/kd2dbojyby7ckd8gjknl7rkqefitwbilzaji0ej85yrtefxp.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/kd2dbojyby7ckd8gjknl7rkqefitwbilzaji0ej85yrtefxp.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/kd2dbojyby7ckd8gjknl7rkqefitwbilzaji0ej85yrtefxp.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":51575,"title":"Wednesday: The Midweek Mirage","url":"\/blog\/wednesday-the-midweek-mirage\/","urlTitle":"wednesday-the-midweek-mirage","division":292132,"description":"It\u2019s Wednesday. The calendar says \u201cmidweek,\u201d but your soul says, \u201chow is it not Friday?\u201d You\u2019ve survived two days (or one if you had the bank holiday off) of passive-aggressive emails, coffee that tastes like regret, and meetings that could\u2019ve been an email. Congratulations\u2014you\u2019re officially in the corporate twilight zone!","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/mai6vfqq19eqom2xrigmrqoaieiyifsimuayaxg9cxzrw0zt.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/mai6vfqq19eqom2xrigmrqoaieiyifsimuayaxg9cxzrw0zt.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":51889,"title":"Brain Dump Your Way Into Weekend","url":"\/blog\/brain-dump-your-way-into-weekend-joy\/","urlTitle":"brain-dump-your-way-into-weekend-joy","division":292132,"description":"Friday evening rolls around, Saturday morning arrives and instead of slipping gracefully into weekend mode, your brain is still replaying the week like a badly edited highlights reel. That email you didn\u2019t answer. The meeting that should never have existed","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/cdf0spgf2xn4264stinpums1mulgejofws0jpdaj2k37yj85.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/cdf0spgf2xn4264stinpums1mulgejofws0jpdaj2k37yj85.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":56443,"title":"The Two\u2011Week Dinner Truce: How Frive Helps Me Survive Life After Work","url":"\/blog\/the-two-week-dinner-truce-how-frive-saved-my-evenings-and-my-sanity\/","urlTitle":"the-two-week-dinner-truce-how-frive-saved-my-evenings-and-my-sanity","division":292132,"description":"After a year of using Frive for two weeks each month, here\u2019s how pre prepared meals have saved my evenings, my energy and my life outside work.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/yusx9gpgyt2btam2konvf1hcgmtkgnlth48etfpctnhbmp2a.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/yusx9gpgyt2btam2konvf1hcgmtkgnlth48etfpctnhbmp2a.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}