Three tips to beat Monday blues

One morning, I woke up savouring the freshness of the golden sunlight, enjoying the sun's rays filtering through my window. The first thought that popped into my mind was: "Thank God it's Monday!" 

I was startled by my own thought. While the whole world is grumbling and groaning about Monday, unwilling to let go of lovely, lazy Sunday, here I was, chirping about the first working day of the week. 

And why not? If it is Monday, it means the shops will be open, the government offices will function, the courier service will bring that much-awaited parcel. And life will move on full-speed. Isn't that cause for jubilation? 

Contemporary man is completely sold to the idea of the weekend and, therefore, horrified by the idea of working seven days a week. People drag themselves through workdays so they can relax in the evenings. They endure the week so they can have the weekend. 

They work through the year so that they can go on leave at the end of the year. If we stretch the logic a little further, they put up with life so that they can relax in death. 

Instead of justifying the need for a holiday, let us look at the quality of our working life. 

Perhaps some Osho insights can help change the way we work. 

The basic question is, do you enjoy your work? 

Do you work wishing you could do something else? Is your work a necessary evil -- to earn a living or to fulfil ambition? 

1. What and how 

What you do is not important, it is how you do it. Whatever you do, do it with deep alertness; then even small things become sacred. You can clean the floor like a robot; you have to clean it, so you clean it. 

But it could have been a great experience; you missed it. 

You cleaned the floor and that would have cleansed you. Clean the floor full of awareness; be luminous with awareness. 

2. Remember yourself 

One thing has to be a continuous thread: remember yourself. 

While walking, say, "I am walking." While sitting, say, "I am sitting." 

And feel the shift in your awareness. There will be a sudden spark. 

3. Are you a perfectionist? 

Beware! What counts is being total, not perfect. This brings out the best in you. The very idea of perfectionism drives people crazy. The perfectionist is bound to be neurotic. S/he cannot enjoy life till s/he is perfect. And perfection never happens, it is not in the nature of things. 

Life is imperfect. Only death is perfect. Totality is possible, perfection is not possible. 

There is a huge difference between perfection and totality. Perfection is a goal for the future, totality is an experience now. If you can get into any act with your whole heart, you are total. Totality brings wholeness, health and sanity. The perfectionist forgets about totality. There is a big gap between how s/he is and how s/he wants to be. And, of course, change can't happen now, it is always tomorrow or the day after. So life is postponed. These are small tools, but they will help you see the gap between workdays and holidays decreasing. You will eagerly wait for work to begin. 

And then you'll also say: "Thank God it's Monday!"