The Perfect ‘Bare Minimum Monday’ for Every DISC Type

You’ve just enjoyed a full weekend, but now Monday is here, and you’re absolutely dreading it. But sometimes, you can get away with an easy Monday, which feels like less of a shock after time off, whether you’re feeling burned out or just need to ease into the week to do your best. Your perfect bare minimum Monday may mean sticking to one task or jumping from one thing to another without feeling committed to finishing anything. But what constitutes the bare minimum may depend on your DISC type. Here’s each type’s perfect low-stress Monday.

Drive Styles: Pace Yourself

If you’re a Drive type or have a lot of Drive as your secondary style, you like to take charge and get things done. And while that isn’t bad, your low-stress Monday should be a little less intense. Strike a balance. Lead your team and take charge where you must, but don’t jump in to solve every petty problem, make every decision or overload your plate. Instead, delegate work to trusted team members and set some boundaries.

Here’s a play-by-play:

• Focus on high-priority items. As the achiever you are, you’ll want to make sure you get some work done on your Monday, and you’ll feel a heck of a lot better if that work is top-priority stuff that will impact your week. So, focus on what needs it most, but remember there’s no pressure to complete everything ahead of schedule.
• Head to the water cooler throughout the day. Re-energizing breaks to simply do nothing are your best friend. Chat to your colleagues about their weekend or talk shop. Even small, incremental breaks throughout your day will make you feel less stressed, and you’ll always feel better after engaging with people.
• Delegate more straightforward tasks to your team, or focus on completing small steps. When you have a large to-do list staring at you, you might feel like you’re swimming upstream. Take the stress off your shoulders by delegating other tasks to your team where possible. If you don't have anyone to delegate to, make a priority list and weed out less important tasks for later. This isn't about slacking off—not that you ever would—this is about creating a softer transition into the week and avoiding overload.

Influence Styles: Make Monday Your Talking Day

As an Influence type, you love to interact and inspire other people. So while Mondays can suck, lean into what brings you joy and make your Monday goal to chat and connect with as many people as you can, while still getting work done. You’ll feel like you’re hardly working.

Here’s a play-by-play:

• Get your colleagues involved. You thrive on teamwork, so bring co-workers into the fold on must-do projects to boost your mood. If there’s a group project to be had, use Monday to dive in at a comfortable pace.
• Prioritize your more creative tasks. Because you love getting knee-deep in creativity, why not start there? Skip the routine emails and admin and make Monday your day for brainstorming and ideation. Not only will this get you inspired and excited for the week, but it will also help ease any anxiety around getting back into the routine.
• Take social media breaks. If you're permitted to use social media at work, allowing yourself a short break to scroll Instagram or TikTok can be quite liberating and help you feel more relaxed. Just 10 minutes can reduce stress and better prepare you to tackle a more isolated task.

Support Styles: Avoid High Pressure Tasks and Multitasking

Support types prefer routine, which means that high-pressure tasks outside of your regular schedule can ruin your Monday. Set those aside for another day and allow yourself to dip your toes into the week more gently. Pick a task that is less stressful to you and focus on it, and try to work on one thing at a time. Planning, supporting and working slowly are all things that will make your Monday feel like the happiest day of the week.

Here’s a play-by-play:

• Focus on a single task at a time. While you’re capable of multitasking, you don’t enjoy it, and it significantly raises your blood pressure. Where possible, focus on a single task so you can hone in on a nice, steady (yet low-pressure) pace. 
• Engage in your ideal morning routine. Whether this means grabbing a hot latte or reading the morning newspaper, you shouldn’t ignore your rituals, especially on Mondays. Allow yourself to engage in the things that get your morning off to a great start, even if this means setting aside 10 minutes between work tasks to kick off your favorite routine.
• Aim for collaboration and low-stakes support. If you have a collaborative task on your agenda, prioritize it on your Monday. Spending time with co-workers and offering your support where needed makes you feel at ease, needed and in your element. You can even collaborate in a lower-pressure environment — working over a coffee can re-energize you and make you feel good at work.

Clarity Style: Break Down Your Schedule and Ease Into It 

Your default love style at work is precision, Clarity, so the best way to take advantage of a slower Monday pace is to use this time to organize your week for optimum productivity. Plan your tasks, prioritize them and create step-by-step plans — and backup plans in case uncomfortable changes arise. Additionally, you should give yourself space from your co-workers since too much social interaction may stress you out.

Here’s a play-by-play:

• Spend time planning your week. Although it would sound dull or mundane to other DISC types, you love the granular details because they help you understand how to achieve a precise outcome. Planning your week will help you ease into it and feel less pressure. Get your planner out, sticky notes, colorful pens and whatever else you need to construct the week’s plan.
• Get organized. When your workspace is spotless, you feel better, so set aside time to organize your desk, papers and other accouterments. If necessary, create some detailed spreadsheets (you love a spreadsheet).
• Steer clear of rapid deadlines and work on tasks slowly and steadily. If possible, save those über-stressful deadlines for Tuesday and beyond. Your lazy Monday requires a slow and steady task so you can work at your own pace. Don’t be afraid to ask your boss to avoid Monday deadlines if you have some set — explain that you work much better when you can ease into the week at a steady pace.

The Takeaway 

Mondays don’t have to be an off-to-the-races stressor. When you have the luxury, engage in the least stressful tasks you can on Mondays and lean into your work style by thinking about your DISC type. Whatever strategies you choose, remember the goal is to make your work style work for you. The core message is to prioritize your wellbeing and set the tone for an enjoyable week ahead.