Last year, after a brutally long Sunday night work sprint, I half-jokingly tweeted, “Mondays should be illegal.” I didn’t expect the wave of replies that followed—from burnt-out teachers, overworked nurses, corporate execs and even a cafe owner in Norwich who claimed her customers only start smiling on Tuesdays. It got me thinking: What if Mondays were actually banned?
Could we simply scrap the most dreaded day of the week? And what would that mean for our work-life balance, productivity, and mental health?
Let’s unpack the idea.
The Cultural Weight of Monday
From Garfield’s eternal grump to #MondayMotivation hashtags, Monday has become a global symbol of dread. But is it really Monday that’s the problem, or what it represents?
Dr. Laura Kent, a behavioural psychologist at the University of Bristol, argues that, “Monday magnifies dissatisfaction. It’s not about the day; it’s about the contrast between autonomy on the weekend and obligation on Monday.”
This isn’t just cultural fluff either. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that people rate Monday as the least satisfying day of the week, with mood levels closest to those experienced on… Wednesdays. That’s right—our disdain for Monday may be more psychological than logical.
Rewriting the Calendar: What Would Change?
Imagine a world where Monday is officially axed from the calendar. Here’s what would have to change:
1. A Four-Day Work Week?
The most optimistic outcome: companies adopt a Tuesday-to-Friday model. Trials of the four-day work week in the UK and Iceland have shown increased productivity, better employee wellbeing, and no loss in output.
A report by Autonomy, a UK think tank, found that reducing working hours without reducing pay improved job satisfaction and retention rates. Employees took fewer sick days and reported higher engagement.
But there’s a catch: Many industries, especially healthcare, retail and logistics, don’t have the luxury of shaving off a day. Could they adjust, or would banning Mondays only benefit office workers?
2. Weekend Spillover: Are Sundays the New Mondays?
Ban Mondays and there’s a risk Sunday inherits the stress. Without structural changes to the work week, many people might just start their prep and anxiety a day earlier.
Personally, I tried experimenting with “No-Monday Weeks” by shifting all work to start on Tuesday. It felt great—until I noticed Sunday night became my new dread zone. The issue wasn’t Monday, but the re-entry shock from leisure to labour.
Mental Health & Wellbeing: Would We Feel Better?
A 2021 UK-based survey by Mental Health Foundation found that over 62% of respondents felt heightened anxiety and low mood on Monday mornings. The cause? Work pressure, lack of sleep, and abrupt schedule shifts.
Banning Mondays could theoretically ease this transition. Longer weekends may allow deeper rest and more time with family—two of the biggest contributors to mental resilience, according to a report by NHS Mental Health Services.
However, mental health experts warn against oversimplifying the problem. “What we need isn’t fewer Mondays, but better boundaries and support systems,” says Dr. Ritu Javed, a workplace therapist in London. “Otherwise, the stress just shifts.”
Productivity: A Net Gain or a Bottleneck?
Let’s not forget the economic side.
The average UK employee produces £65,000 in annual output, according to the Office for National Statistics. Removing one day a week translates to a 20% time loss. Unless offset by higher efficiency, banning Mondays could lead to logistical and financial headaches.
Still, data from Microsoft Japan’s four-day work week trial showed a 40% boost in productivity. Fewer meetings, clearer goals, and a rested workforce made all the difference.
Clearly, fewer days doesn’t always mean less output.
The Case for Redesigning the Week
Maybe the solution isn’t to ban Mondays outright but to rethink how we approach the week.
- Flexible Work Models: Hybrid setups or staggered workweeks could reduce the Monday burden.
- Mental Health Integration: Companies like Deloitte UK now offer “wellbeing hours” on Mondays for slow starts.
- Cultural Shifts: Schools in Finland start late on Mondays to help students ease back into learning. It’s working.
Instead of seeing Monday as a villain, what if we treated it as a recovery day—the psychological runway we need before takeoff?
Real-Life Test Cases
Several progressive companies have already tested the waters:
- Treehouse, a US-based ed-tech company, adopted a four-day week and found employee satisfaction shot up by 96%.
- Piktochart, a design tool brand, closes on Mondays to give teams a “life day.”
- Brewdog tested “MonYAYs”—where Mondays include wellness sessions, optional work, and free breakfast.
These experiments show that it’s not necessarily the day that matters—it’s how we frame it.
So, Should We Ban Mondays?
It’s tempting. But banning Monday is like blaming the thermometer for the fever.
The underlying issues are rigid schedules, burnout, and poor work-life alignment. Changing the calendar won’t fix that on its own.
What could help instead:
- Rethinking how we transition into the week
- Allowing more autonomy in start times
- Encouraging deep rest during weekends (screen-free Sundays?)
Rather than erase Monday, let’s reimagine it.
FAQs:
Q: Would productivity decrease if we removed Mondays?
A: Not necessarily. Many four-day week trials report equal or increased productivity due to better focus and rest.
Q: Could schools function without Mondays?
A: Possibly, with a shift in curriculum planning or extended hours across remaining days.
Q: Who benefits most from a Monday-free schedule?
A: Office workers and knowledge-based employees. Labour-intensive roles might find it harder to adapt.
Q: Is this idea being seriously discussed anywhere?
A: Not officially, but flexible work and four-day weeks are gaining traction worldwide.
Final Thought & Call to Action
Have you ever tried a Monday-less week? Did it help your focus or just shift the stress? I’d love to hear your experience. Drop a comment or share this with a friend who loathes Mondays as much as I once did.
Let’s keep rethinking the week—because maybe, just maybe, we can make Mondays something to look forward to.
Read Also: Why Don’t Cows Get Bored Chewing Grass?
