The latest job trend dubbed ‘absolute minimum Monday’ is sweeping through workplaces and sees workers relax at the start of a new week.
Adelaide marketing manager Caitlin Winter introduced this to her team and says it’s “one of the best decisions she’s ever made” as a boss.
The 31-year-old said simply not scheduling meetings, working from home and gradually making tasks easier could be enough to reduce feelings of anxiety associated with the thought of work on Monday.
Thousands of employees “swear by” the tactic, as it is said to lower stress levels, reduce pressure and improve overall mood.
“As soon as I read about the concept of the bare minimum on Mondays, I knew I wanted to participate,” she wrote over a TikTok. video.
“Sunday nights always meant the Sunday Scaries for me, but introducing the bare minimum of Mondays for me and my team means I can go to bed without feeling that sense of dread.
“I can wake up a little later on a Monday morning, go to my gym class, and then go into my work week feeling refreshed and energized.”
Marketing manager Caitlin Winter (pictured) said employees feel less stressed since she introduced the concept of “absolute Mondays” to her team members
“As soon as I read about the concept of the bare minimum on Mondays, I knew I wanted to participate,” she captioned a video
Before using the concept, Caitlin said that on Sundays she was “terrified” about going to work the next day and “wouldn’t sleep well.”
But now this has all changed thanks to a simple shift in thinking and behavior at work.
‘This [concept] gives me and my team a chance to do a few things we didn’t get to do over the weekend,” Caitlin continued in the video.
“We don’t have to think about packing our lunches for the week, we can do laundry if it’s a really nice day, we can walk the dogs, go to appointments, I have people on my team who have kids, and this is a really nice way for us to start the week.”
She added how this helps prevent the team from feeling “burned out from the start” and encouraged all employees to consider using the idea if possible.
Sue Ellson, Melbourne-based author and LinkedIn specialist, previously shared her thoughts on the subject, saying the concept is a “wellness technique.”
“It’s not worth burning out and not being able to the next day.” In my opinion, it’s much better to work fewer hours at 80-90 percent effectiveness and let your body rest and recover,” Ms. Ellson told FEMAIL.
After the rise of the “Great Resignation” and “quiet quitting,” the latest trend encourages workers to do the bare minimum or as little as possible on Mondays to ease the week (stock image)
Melbourne author and LinkedIn specialist Sue Ellson (pictured) shared her thoughts on the subject, saying how the concept is a “wellbeing technique”
TikToker is believed Marisa Jo Mayes popularized the concept by sharing it in a series of videos with her 154,000 followers.
“I don’t take meetings and take it easy for the first two hours. I’ll do some reading, write some diaries, maybe some things around the house,” Mayes wrote in an essay for Insider.
“One day last March I gave myself permission to do the bare minimum, and it was like a spell came over me. I felt better. I wasn’t overwhelmed and actually got more done than I expected.’
And she’s been using the routine ever since. In a video, she also revealed how she adjusts her tasks on days with a heavier workload.
First, she starts the day journaling from the couch, not a table, wears a “cosy” outfit, and never has overhead lights on.
‘So now the atmosphere is good, which helps more than you think’, says Marisa sadly.
Then she looks at her to-do list for the day and deletes all wishful thinking tasks.
‘If it’s not an absolute ‘must get done’ [task]if it has no direct consequences if it’s not done, get it off,” she said.
“And then for the tasks you have to do, make sure you monotask all of them. You might think multitasking is the way to go, but it’s a one-way ticket to overwhelm [sic] and everything takes longer.’
TikToker Marisa Jo Mayes (pictured) is believed to have popularized the concept by sharing it with her 154,000 followers in a series of videos. In a video, she also revealed how she adjusts her tasks on days with a heavier workload
Ms. Ellson thought the concept was a great idea for avoiding burnout over time and shared her advice.
She recommended switching work environments if possible, such as working remotely from a library or shared space for added motivation.
“Instead of working from home, go to the library with your laptop and talk to the librarian about your work goals — they are a wealth of knowledge and can help you find great solutions,” she said.
“If you have a local co-working space, consider going there on Mondays if you need a little extra motivation and like having something to look forward to doing on Mondays different and around other people to be.’
However, the concept may be flawed for some workers, such as teachers, baristas, and tradesmen.
The huge rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and ChatGPT can also take the workload off small business owners and certain careers as the incredible technology can get the job done in minutes.