Move into the Work Week Slowly with a ‘Bare Minimum Monday’

The world has certainly changed over the years, and the new generation is taking the brunt of it. Of course, we were all stressed out when we were younger, but this generation seems to feel it more than any other.

Some of the stress comes from the home, but the majority of it comes from work. If you happen to be a Millennial or a Generation Z’er, you are probably nodding your head in agreement by this point.

Fortunately, there are ways to let off steam and voice your concerns that exist today which weren’t available just a few decades ago. This includes social media, and the younger generation is quick to use it.

This includes Marisa Jo Mayes, a millennial that went viral with an idea of how to deal with stress. It’s her solution to stress in the workplace, known as Bare Minimum Monday.

What Is Bare Minimum Monday?

Mayes spoke with CNBC Make It, saying she had tried many different forms of employment. This included self-employment, but she was still anxious when Monday started, feeling as if she was already behind.

The stressful feeling she experienced on Monday just got worse as the week went on. That is when the concept of Bare Minimum Monday was born.

She said: “Alleviating that pressure and choosing to let myself off the hook was a much-needed change of mindset going into the beginning of the week…which suddenly allowed me to be productive again.”

Learning Bare Minimum Monday from the Creator

As any millennial would do, Mayes decided to tell the world about her new idea. She did so using TikTok videos, so the word spread quickly.

@itsmarisajo Reply to @itsmarisajo 😴📉🐢 #bareminimummonday ♬ Young Folks – Shindig Society

She explained that on Sunday evening, she would make a list of the bare minimum necessary to do on Monday. This would allow her to ease into the week and focus on self-care and setting herself up for success.

She also explained, through TikTok videos, what she does in the morning. It includes tasks such as listening to a podcast, making coffee, or doing a puzzle.

If there is anything she didn’t do on Sunday, she tries to get it done on Monday.

It’s not that she doesn’t work on Mondays, she just does so at a slower pace and doesn’t do more than the planned necessary tasks.

@itsmarisajo Welcome to Bare Minimum Monday, where I: ☁️ try to make every part of the day as enjoyable as possible ☁️ make time to play my Little Game ☁️ wear my Do Not Disturb hat (available now in both black & white!!! l!nk in my thing!) ☁️ do my work during @Spacetime Monotasking focus sessions ☁️ work ~only~ as long as it takes to finish my must-do’s ☁️ finish chores I didn’t want to do on the weekend ☁️ do whatever is good for morale 🙂 ☁️ go outside because a happy me = a more productive me later in the week #bareminimummonday #bareminimummondays #selfemployment #selfemployed #wfh #selfemployedlife ♬ Theme From A Summer Place – Percy Faith

After reviewing her idea of slowing down on Mondays, some employers picked up on the thought.

Caitlin Winter, an Australian marketing manager spoke about the benefits of adopting a Bare Minimum Monday. Essentially, she said it meant not putting pressure on ourselves to get the biggest projects done.

She went on to say: “Other things that we might get to do on these days are loads of washing we didn’t get to on the weekend, grocery shopping, planning dinners for the week or walking your dog.”

Winter also posted on TikTok, saying it was one of the best things she ever did as a manager.

@caitlinjwinter As soon as I read about the concept of #bareminimummondays I knew I wanted in. Sunday nights have always meant the Sunday Scaries for me, but introducing Bare Miminim Mondays for me and my team means I can go to bed not feeling that sense of dread. I can wake up a little later on a Monday morning, go to my gym class and then ease into my work week feeling refreshed and energised. Credit for this concept goes to the amazing @MJ ⚡️ ⚡️#marketingmanager #corporatelife #wfhlife #corporategirlies ♬ original sound – Caitlin Winter

Bare Minimum Monday Comes Under Fire

Not everybody is happy with the concept of Bare Minimum Monday. There is also another trend, known as ‘Quiet Quitting,’ and some are quick to point out the similarities.

Mayes realized that people were calling her slower Mondays into question. She addressed it in a TikTok video, pointing out everything positive about her idea.

@itsmarisajo Replying to @kettlebelllife Quiet Quitting 🤝 Bare Minimum Monday #hustleculture #bareminimummonday #bareminimummondays #worklifewellbeing #burnoutrecovery ♬ Theme From A Summer Place – Percy Faith

There were also some employers who warned of the possibility of getting fired for taking on this approach. This includes the founder of Business Network International, Ivan Misner.

Misner spoke with Axios, saying that Bare Minimum Monday is a great way to get fired. In his estimation, it sets a person up to fail at their job.

An executive coach and business advisor, Jay McDonald, also spoke with Axios, saying a person is vulnerable to layoff if they ease into the work week in this way.

He said that if an individual isn’t showing a positive or constructive attitude, or if they are not committed to getting their work done, they may just be shown the door.

Both McDonald and Mizner feel that working with managers to set priorities is a better option for dealing with work stress.

Should You Try Bare Minimum Monday?

Not everybody is on board with Bare Minimum Monday, but some people feel it is a game changer. There are also some experts who feel that this is not the best option.

For those who have a lot of stress on Sunday night and Monday morning, there may be more going on than what could be resolved by taking it easy one day a week. You may just be treating the symptoms and not going for a cure.

In the end, Mayes has benefited from this approach. She also claims that she doesn’t get ‘Sunday scaries’ now that she has adopted her way of handling Mondays.

@itsmarisajo I don’t even want to know what my life would look like without Bare Minimum Monday & @spacetimemonotasking 🫶 #wfh #selfemployed #worklifewellbeing #bareminimummonday #bareminimummondays #burnoutrecovery #selfemployedlife ♬ Theme From A Summer Place – Percy Faith

She’s also taken the concept and started a company based on its popularity. It is Spacetime Monotasking, and she works along with her partner Anna to help clients achieve productivity rather than just being busy.