It’s Friday - hurray? Was that our first thought when you woke up this morning, or some variation of that? For decades we’ve been taught that Fridays are great and Mondays are bad, but does this even exist any more?
What makes one day better than another? (I’ll give you a clue, its 100% your mindset.)
Traditionally when 99% of the country worked Monday to Friday in 9-5 jobs for somebody else, it was popular to look forward to a Friday as the last working day of the week and dread Monday morning. (Do you remember the "Thank Crunchie it’s Friday" adverts that Kellogs ran?)
Now with so many people working shifts, weekends and for themselves, the traditional Friday vs Monday doesn’t really exist. And yet most of the world are still here, dreading Mondays and celebrating Fridays.
It makes me sad when I hear people talk about loving Fridays and hating Mondays. I’ve always felt that if you really hate your job that much then do something different. And yes I understand that for a lot of people it’s not that simple but to me my happiness is the most important thing and I couldn’t live my life going into a job that I hate.
I don’t love everything about working for myself, but I love most of it. There are days that are hard and days that are brilliant and then all of the in between days as well.
I’ve built my life to work perfectly for me, never mind what day of the week it is, and I’d love to see more other people doing the same.
How do you feel about Friday’s? Are you in the thank god its the weekend bracket and if so what can you do to change it? Somebody famous once said that they wanted to design a life that they didn’t need to have a holiday from. I love this!
If you are not in a position to quit your job then how can you make it more bearable? Could you ask for some flexibility in start and end times? Could you work longer hours one day and have an afternoon off a week?
When does your Monday morning dread kick in? If it starts on a Sunday night then you need to come up with some techniques to make sure that it is not spoiling your day off. There is no need to spend your downtime dreading going back to work.
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Have a think about what it would take to make you hate a Friday and love a Monday? Be creative, write it all down and then look through and see if any of the crazy creative ideas could actually make sense.
Surely it’s worth it if you can come up with a way to make you love Monday’s again?
Related: Helene Hadsell's business lessons
Bottom line: The difference between today and Monday comes down to where you are in the week and how that shapes your priorities. Today is whatever day you're standing in right now, while Monday carries its own reputation as the reset point for plans, goals, and momentum. Knowing which one you're dealing with helps you decide what needs your attention.
Need a tool for this? Have a browse through apps for planning your working day.
Frequently asked questions
Why do people treat Monday differently from other days?
Monday marks the start of the traditional work week for most businesses and calendars, so it tends to carry extra weight for planning, meetings, and fresh starts. That reputation builds expectation, which is why Monday often feels different even though it's just another day.
Does "today" always mean something different than "Monday"?
Not necessarily. If today happens to be Monday, there's no difference at all. The distinction only matters when today falls on a different day of the week, since each day can carry its own rhythm, workload, or mindset.
How does this distinction matter for business or productivity?
Many teams use Monday for planning and goal-setting, then treat the rest of the week, including today, for execution. Recognizing which mode you're in helps you set the right expectations for what you can realistically accomplish.
Is there a practical way to use this difference?
Yes. Use Monday to map out priorities for the week ahead, then check in on today to see how those plans are playing out. This keeps your long-term goals connected to your daily actions.
