I Take Mondays Off--And I Don’t Feel Bad About It

There was a time when taking a full day off at the start of the week would have made me uncomfortable.

It would have felt lazy. Unproductive. Like I was somehow falling behind.

Now, I take Mondays off—and I don’t feel a damn thing about it.

Not guilt. Not anxiety. Not even the need to explain it.

Because I know exactly what it gives me.

After a full weekend—whether it’s social and full, or quiet and simple—I’ve realized I need a return.

A coming back to myself before I step into the week ahead.

Monday is that space.

It’s not about doing nothing. It’s about doing the right things—slowly, intentionally, without pressure.

It’s the difference between reacting to your week and choosing it.

I’m not completely offline.

I check my email. If something is genuinely pressing, I’ll handle it. Occasionally, I’ll take a call—but I never schedule them on Mondays.

That boundary protects the entire day.

Most Mondays are simple:

• I sleep in (usually until at least 9:30a)

• I order groceries for the week

• I book my workouts ahead of time

• I take a long shower, do my skincare slowly

• I put on something that feels good—either cozy or active

From there, I let the day unfold.

Sometimes I’ll edit a video from the couch. Sometimes I’ll watch YouTube or scroll Pinterest and save ideas. Sometimes I’ll sit with my planner and map out my week.

And sometimes, I do nothing at all.

I watch Netflix. I sit outside. I think.

That counts.

Mondays are also about resetting what supports me.

I pick up the house—especially after the weekend. Not perfectly, just enough to clear the noise. A clean space changes how I think.

I check in with myself.

That might look like journaling. Or it might just be sitting outside with my dog, letting my mind wander without needing to turn it into anything.

If I feel like moving, I’ll go for a walk. Sometimes with a weighted vest, sometimes not.

Nothing on Monday is forced.

Everything is a choice.

This is the part most people struggle with.

When you set a boundary like this, people adjust.

The brand will take the call on Tuesday.
The agency will move the meeting.
Your vendors will figure it out.

The world does not end because you didn’t take a call on a Monday.

We already know this.

When you’re sick, people respect it.
When you’re on vacation, people respect it. (mostly…)
When something serious happens, people respect it.

Those are boundaries.

So why are those the only ones we allow?

You’re allowed to create your own, before something forces you to.

Most people aren’t actually struggling with time, they’re struggling with conditioning.

We’ve been taught that work has to look like a rigid 9–5 to count. That rest has to be earned. That slowing down means you’re falling behind.

In my experience, the opposite is true.

Without space to reset, everything suffers. Your work, your clarity, your creativity.

Something I’ve leaned into more is the reality that not all energy is the same.

Women are cyclical. Our energy, focus, and creativity shift. Trying to operate at the same pace every single day doesn’t make sense.

When I stopped fighting that—and started working with it—I felt better.

More clear. More grounded. More creative.

Mondays became part of that rhythm.

Taking Mondays off hasn’t made me less productive.

It’s made me better.

By Tuesday, I’m clear. I’m rested. I’m ready to move. I’m not dragging myself into the week, I’m stepping into it with intention.

I show up better in my business. In my relationship. In my life.

And I’m not hard on myself in the process.

That’s the difference.

I know not everyone can structure their week like this.

But most people have more room than they think.

Maybe it’s:

• Taking your lunch break seriously and moving your body

• Leaving a little earlier one day a week

• Asking for a half day or more flexibility

• Creating small pockets of time that are actually yours

Most people already work through lunch anyway.

What if you flipped that?

Take the hour. Reset. Then eat while you work if you need to.

The point isn’t perfection, it’s intention.

Mondays, for me, represent something bigger than a day off.

They represent autonomy.

They represent a life I built on purpose.

I don’t take Mondays off because I’m avoiding work.

I take them off because they make me better at it.

You don’t need permission to create a life that supports you.

Whether it’s a full day, an hour, or a small shift in how you structure your time—those decisions add up.

And they matter more than you think.

I’ve also written about what my Mondays actually look like—the slower, more personal version of this. I’ll share that next.

I’ll be seeing you,

Lauren Schwec