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Throughout the cult 1999 workplace comedy Office Space, several characters remark, “Sounds like somebody’s got a case of the Mondays!”, much to the chagrin of anyone within earshot.
That particular film satirised 9-5 culture as it existed in the late ‘90s, but at the risk of stating the obvious, we are in a very different world now.
A new trend is emerging on social media and in workplace culture that sees Mondays evolving from the dread-inducing motivation killer it once was into a way for workers to ease into the week at their own pace: enter “Bare-minimum Monday”. The catalyst? What else––the remote work revolution and its aftermath.
One element of that revolution is the mental and physical wellbeing of workers, and how stress and burnout are no longer things to be endured, but easily avoidable hazards.
The concept of “Bare-minimum Monday”, which emerged as a hashtag on TikTok and has now exceeded four million posts, is not about dodging responsibility, but treating Monday as an opportunity to focus on your objectives and frame the week ahead, rather than “diving in”–– and inevitably taking on more than you can handle.
The phrase “Bare-minimum Monday” was coined by content creator and startup founder Marisa Jo Mayes, who has become an accidental advocate for doing just that: nothing more, nothing less.
Work smarter, not harder
According to Mayes, the core meaning behind it is the contrast between being busy and being productive. It’s a commonly-held truth that they are not one and the same; the older phrase “work smarter, not harder” is in a similar vein.
But when applied to the dreaded Monday morning, it’s not just about easing the workload though. It’s about reframing the day itself from a lifetime of being conditioned to resent it.
Instead, “Bare-minimum Monday” represents an opportunity to make it a highlight of the week, but also to get more done, not less––without having to live with that sinking feeling.
It’s all well and good, workers advocating for themselves and pushing to improve their working conditions any way they can, but employers may take a different view, especially as they are negotiating the challenges of hybrid and remote work.
From this point of view, having workers present themselves in the office is a key element of driving productivity; after all, tradition dictates that Monday is the day to meet, plan and collaborate. But as the remote versus in-office debate continues, workers are reframing the start of their work week.
If your Mondays leave a lot to be desired, then perhaps a new position is the first step. Here are some standout vacancies on the Silicon Canals Job Board right now, where remote and hybrid options are plentiful across the EU…
In Dublin, financial services giant Mastercard is seeking a Lead Software Engineer to support its Dispute Resolution programme. The purpose of this section is to arbitrate customer disputes and compromises through the use of innovative processes, data analytics, and cyber intelligence. As such, you will be responsible for providing internal and external support across a broad range of areas, maintaining existing processes and systems while innovating and improving new approaches and solutions.
PayFit is an intuitive cloud-based payroll and employee management solution designed specifically for SMBs, and is seeking a Staff Software Engineer to join its team in Paris. In this role, you will drive the evolution of PayFit’s SaaS architecture, empower teams to build a sustainable, innovative product. This involves leading critical cross-functional initiatives with a systematic problem-solving approach, while thinking outside the box to drive overall improvement of PayFit’s architecture and system. PayFit stresses that this is a very flexible position that offers the option to work from a location that is best for you.
In Berlin, Meta needs no introduction. The mega corporation is seeking a Software Engineer to work in the area of Ad Experimentation, with a focus on solving its most complex and profound business challenges, including evolving new experimentation techniques and investing in making the platform trustworthy.
Start your job search today via the Silicon Canals Job Board
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