adamyntium

Looks like I got a case of the Mondays. But why?

Today is a bad day.  A particularly consistent bad day.  Not an awful day, mind you, but just bad enough to be laughably annoying.  And this got me to thinking…

Why is it that bad luck seems to come in strings… chains… in groups… whatever?

My example today:

  • Had bathroom conflicts with roomie and her guest.
  • Left in a hurry, forgot both cell phone and Google security card.
  • Shuttle on the way to work was cramped, couldn’t work effectively on laptop.
  • Due to bridge being damaged *and* another accident, I was late to work and had to push back a 10am meeting.
  • Pulling laptop out of backpack at work, I accidentally broke off the antenna on my broadband wireless card.
  • Allergies are acting up.  Blech :(.
  • There were no communal coffee mugs left this morning.
  • In a rush to grab my coffee-comfort (thank goodness for paper cups!), I spilled coffee grounds on myself.

Okay, so none of that is earth shattering.  My dog didn’t die, my wife didn’t run away with my pickup truck and shotgun, and I didn’t get beer spilled on me (admittedly, not having a dog, a wife, a pickup truck, a shotgun, or an affinity for beer makes this example somewhat inapt, but no matter).  Anyway, it’s still enough even-minorly-bad-stuff in a row (and by noon!) to make one wonder…

What is it about Mondays that causes so much misery?  Why do so many bad things seem to happen in a row?

Perception
Maybe we’re made cranky by the first bad thing, and thus are more attuned to subsequent annoyances.  Or, we subconsciously / culturally correlate Mondays with Trouble in our mind, and thus when bad things happen, this perception is simply reinforced.

Causation
Unpleasant incidences tend to directly cause other icky happenings (e.g., being late in the morning causes you to rush and be less careful and attentive, thus leading to forgetting important objects or procedures and/or causing you to move carelessly and stub various body parts).  Or unhappy moments make one more stressed or preoccupied in such a way as to be mentally or physically unprepared for typical challenges and obstacles, thus causing subsequent mishaps.

Any other theories?
And how is your Monday going so far?

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Adam Lasnik

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10 responses to “Looks like I got a case of the Mondays. But why?”

  1. Adam Avatar
    Adam

    …and why do I have so many Johns as cool contributors to my blog?  Ah, thankfully that’s a happier question than my earlier ones 😀

    JohnWeb, good catch on the Office Space reference, and yep, I think indeed much of this deals with perceptions.

    JohnMu, thankfully I do tend to approach most days (and most things) optimistically, so I hope and expect for the best.  I agree with you that managing to chuckle at one’s misfortune is often healthy medicine.  That and (as I hope to do later today) work off some of the frustration in the gym.  Then you’re less stressed, minus calories, and… often sore enough that your attention is transferred to your aching muscles instead of the other little things :-D.

    Reply
  2. SimonHeseltine Avatar
    SimonHeseltine

    Actually Adam, if you’d have thought of this a year ago, and put out a book on the topic, then “The Secret” could have been yours (along with the cash that the author is raking in).

    Reply
  3. Zack Avatar
    Zack

    Well, your plight makes me think of my favorite saying..

    Life is all about tush, you’re either working it off, covering it, kicking it or kissing it .. maybe we should add stubbing it to the list!

    Reply
  4. Dave Avatar
    Dave

    Adam,

    If it’s any consolation, yesterday was my bad “Car”-ma day.  Had four people cut me off!

    Usually, a cut-off is no big deal—I usually can predict them.

    But I had a guy in one of those huge, huge heavy-duty pick-up truck cut me off on 101—he definitely would have clipped me if I hadn’t made a minor evasive maneuver.

    Anyway, yes, they all happened in one day.  Guess it was like your Monday, except only it was Wednesday. 😀

    Reply
  5. Adam Avatar
    Adam

    Well, Simon… what makes you think I’m not already making a ton of money from this blog?  One MILLION dollars a week, baby.  I just wished it, and it’s come true.  Isn’t that part of The Secret or something? 😉

    Zack… no wonder why my tush is sore!

    Dave, sorry to hear about your bad “car”-ma (heh, hadn’t seen that before!).  Very glad you’re okay, though; that kind of thing is often more than maddening… actually quite scary!

    Reply
  6. Matt Hendrickson Avatar
    Matt Hendrickson

    Sounds like the makings of a country song, Adam!

    You have a female roommate? Perhaps I should schedule a couple of days out there! Does she have a thing for stocky, dark-haired country boys? LOL

    Reply
  7. Adam Avatar
    Adam

    Heh!  No, Matt, she has a thing for her mild-mannered long-time accountant boyfriend, actually (and thankfully) a decent chap.

    You really don’t want to come to the Bay Area if you’re looking for single women (or, to clarify, a favorable ratio).  One of our cities—San Jose—has been nicknamed “Man Jose.”  Nuff ‘said 😉

    Reply
  8. Zack Avatar
    Zack

    Man Jose—LMAO ..

    I thought it was San Jose, and my other brother Jose, and my other brother Jose, and my other……

    Reply
  9. Mitzi the cat Avatar
    Mitzi the cat

    Meg’s Monday was awesome.  She mustered up her courage, did not mention her bike at all, and successfully asked a guy out!  She’s still smiling about it.  The big day is tomorrow.  ;D

    But in answer to your question, “Sunday night insomnia” certainly doesn’t help Mondays.  Sleep researchers say that it’s healthier to always get up at the same time, even when you don’t have to.  Certainly they must be right, but sleeping in on the weekends is just so precious.  Until it prevents you from falling asleep on time on Sunday night, which makes the alarm on Monday morning that much more brutal…

    Reply
  10. James Avatar
    James

    Your own views and ideas behind the work make your day good or bad.
    Never think about what will happen, always keep in mind what you need to do for getting more and more success.

    Reply

What do you think?