Monday, Monday, it just turns out that way
Oh Monday, Monday, won´t go away
Monday, Monday, it´s here to stay
Oh Monday, Monday
Oh Monday, Monday
(The Mamas and The Papas; Written by John Edmund Andrew Phillips • Copyright © Universal Music Publishing Group)
Yep, it's Monday. For a lot of folks, it is one of the harder days of the week. Maybe its because people don't really take time to relax over the weekend. There are so many errands to accomplish on Saturday and Sunday; projects around the house, around the yard, in the garage. We almost need Monday to rest from the busy weekend!
Or how about this one from the Bangles:
It's just another manic Monday
I wish it was Sunday
'Cause that's my fun day
My I don't have to run day
It's just another manic Monday
Got to be to work by nine
And if I had an air-o-plane
I still couldn't make it on time
'Cause it takes me so long
Just to figure out what I'm gonna wear
Blame it on the train
But the boss is already there
(Written by Prince Rogers Nelson • Copyright © Universal Music Publishing Group)
After the Valentine's surprise notification of the lay off, Mondays got really tough for me and some other folk. Now that we're truly out of the office, I imagine some Mondays got worse.
So, in an effort to prove to myself that I didn't waste my day, I made a list of all the things I accomplished. Some are routine, some trivial, but all took a share of my time today. It would be so easy to look back on the day and think I accomplished nothing when in fact it is not true.
To all of you out there working full time and doing all this, I understand how hard you are working. I hope your life partner gives you a hand or at least a break from the chores. A little relief is so nice when you do these things day in and day out.
So, while I didn't quite have the Manic Monday of the Bangles, here is a list of my accomplishments today - not in any particular order (just as I remembered them):
Laundry (not just mine)
COBRA
Health coverage for C
Adapted payment method for UI
Paid bills (juggled is more like it)
Mowed the back yard
Made lunch for C to take to work
Put away dishes
Washed dishes
Weeded through paper and bills
Wrote a birthday card
Searched for stamps (not where I usually keep them - a mystery!)
Walked the beloved Mr. Bolt twice
Changed the sheets
Make a doctor appointment
Applied for a job (frustrating)
Talked to eldest child on the phone
Write this blog
As I said, there are a lot of seemingly trivial things in this list, but when you put it all together, it ends up taking more of your time than you realize. And when you are prone to depression and think you've wasted another day, a list like this proves that you did not waste the day.
And some things, take a lot longer than you realize. For instance signing up for health insurance took over an hour. Getting the COBRA questions asked and answered took about 45 minutes. The back yard - probably close to another hour (it was bad). Applying for the job - errr - frustrating and time consuming (who does these web applications? What do you do if you have a yes/no answer and the site asks you to explain why you said yes, except you said no and it still wants you to explain?)
Depression is an insidious thing that a lot of people are struggling with, but you wouldn't know it because so many depressed people fake a smile and won't talk about what's bothering them (I only do one of those things on a really regular basis).
One of the truest things my mom ever said to me was to be careful about what I say to other people, because you don't know if what you say is the thing to push them over the edge, or save them. The Bible talks about a fit word aptly spoken being like apples of gold (Proverbs 25:11). So valuable. A more contemporary prayer is, "Lord let my words be sweet because I may have to eat them tomorrow."
So, if you suffer from depression, whether continual or episodic or situational I hope you hear words of encouragement. When you don't, encourage yourself by what you have accomplished during a given day. Rainy days and Mondays (The Carpenters) don't have to get us down and keep us there.
Remember accomplishments whether it is a check off list, or an accomplishments list. Use that to build on tomorrow. Remind yourself you did not waste the entire day, you got stuff done that needed to get done.
Blessings!