{"id":3580,"date":"2023-04-12T08:25:30","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T08:25:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/?p=3580"},"modified":"2023-12-11T17:04:45","modified_gmt":"2023-12-11T17:04:45","slug":"want-to-avoid-burnout-bare-minimum-mondays-may-be-the-key","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/want-to-avoid-burnout-bare-minimum-mondays-may-be-the-key\/","title":{"rendered":"Want to avoid burnout? Bare Minimum Mondays may be the key"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introducing Bare Minimum Mondays (BMM). We know, it feels like every other week there\u2019s a new work-related trend emerging, quickly gathering steam with employees – and causing concern for businesses. Like all things, however, they\u2019re not always as bad as they may sound.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recently, we\u2019ve started to see a rise in the term \u2018Bare Minimum Mondays\u2019. It\u2019s been credited to Marisa Jo, a TikTok influencer<\/a> who coined the term when talking about her approach to work. She said \u201cBare Minimum Monday was my response to all the pressure I felt every Sunday and Monday. It\u2019s me rejecting the idea that my productivity is more important than my wellbeing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marisa Jo Mayes, a self-employed digital creator, came up with the now-viral concept in which she keeps the first two hours of Monday free and schedules only three tasks for the day.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Bare Minimum Monday has been confused with the idea that employees are disengaged with their work, but the reality is that employees are choosing to establish more of a defined break between their working life and their personal life.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s another example of the younger generation placing importance on their mental health and wellness. The idea is to prioritize self-care, instead of getting stuck straight into projects, calls and meetings right away.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some companies see Bare Minimum Mondays as an extension of ‘Quiet Quitting’, with workers objecting to overworking and focusing on doing as little as possible to get through the \u2018Monday doom\u2019 many associate with the start of the week. Others see it as a side effect of the pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bare Minimum Mondays shouldn\u2019t necessarily be a cause for concern. Jenn Lim, CEO of Delivering Happiness says that employees who practice Bare Minimum Mondays can still bring their full selves to work<\/a>. \u201cWe\u2019ve experienced so much change, stress and uncertainty over the last three years, our minds – and bodies – are still trying to process what\u2019s happening. All these new trends are just shining a light on old problems in real-time ways, confirming that how we work isn\u2019t working for everyone anymore.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Bare Minimum Monday feels like a rebellion against the old ways of working – and the burnout associated with over-working.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Burnout is at an all-time high<\/h3>\n

A recent Deloitte survey showed that 77% of employees say they\u2019ve experienced burnout at their current job<\/a>, with 91% reporting an unmanageable amount of stress negatively impacts the quality of their work and 83% saying work burnout affects their personal relationships negatively.<\/span><\/p>\n

Previously, workers felt they were promised that if they embrace hustle culture, it would be a stepping stone to success. That if they worked long hours into the night, threw their whole selves into work and adopted an \u2018always on\u2019 attitude that it equaled success.<\/span><\/p>\n

But in 2020 hustle culture came to a halt. Employees started to re-evaluate what success really meant, prioritising their health and wellbeing, time with family and what\u2019s really important to them – vs just grinding for a paycheck. For many, Bare Minimum Mondays might be just the thing they need to avoid impending burnout.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mental Health and the impact on productivity<\/h3>\n

As a hiring manager or internal recruiter, you know all too well that attracting top talent is only the first step in building a successful organization. With a heavy organizational cost to replace talent, employee retention is equally important. So what are some of the ways managers and companies can engage their employees to tackle the negative views of Bare Minimum Mondays.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mental health is one of the biggest indicators of how – and how well – we show up in our work and everyday lives. That\u2019s why many businesses are instead framing Bare Minimum Monday as \u2018Mental health Mondays\u2019, taking what is often seen as a negative, and re-framing it as a more positive spin that prioritizes their employees and teams.<\/span><\/p>\n

Self-care and mental health look different for every worker. One person\u2019s mindfulness technique is different to another\u2019s boxing class, massage or walk around the block with their favourite true crime podcast<\/span><\/p>\n

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Pre Covid-19 when employees were mostly office based, there was a commute, breakfast, and informal chats while making a coffee before setting up for the day. With hybrid work, their commute may be from one room to another, with no small talk, diving right into execution and their endless to-do list. Bare Minimum Mondays can provide a breather day, focusing on high-priority tasks, not busy work, that can move the needle and limit stress and burnout.<\/span><\/p>\n

For companies, Bare Minimum Mondays relates back to the frequently discussed word: \u2018Flexibility\u2019. Companies should consider ways they could implement a less frantic, more focused approach to the start of the week.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

More and more, we\u2019re seeing employees fighting to feel empowered, to find a balance with more flexibility and find new ways of working with their managers.<\/span><\/p>\n

What benefits could Bare Minimum Monday offer your company?<\/h3>\n

While the jury is still out on the long-term impact of Bare Minimum Mondays, some expected benefits companies are seeing include:<\/span><\/p>\n