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Like the song goes, you'll hear the common complaint: "I don't like Mondays." It's easy to accept this as something built into the work week, but most of the misery and depression we put ourselves through on Monday mornings is artificial. You can avoid feeling low by taking better care with four important steps.

Adjust your sleep schedule. It might seem reasonable to catch up on sleep during the weekend, but in fact, you're throwing off your circadian rhythm. Rather than sleeping in, try to go to bed earlier on the weekends as you would on the weeknights. Trying to get up a little earlier in the morning will also give you time to savor your breakfast or morning shower instead of becoming a dull-minded drone who gets ready for work on autopilot.

Focus on being and acting more positive. In some cases, a positive attitude can help alleviate stress and improve your time at work. While you might not feel bubbly and cheerful on Monday, you can at least put yourself in a better attitude with listening to your favorite music on your commute or wearing your favorite suit. Even doing something nice for someone else--like a customer, a coworker, or a random stranger on the street--can add a bright moment to your day as well as to theirs.

Prepare for a better Monday on Friday. If you're dreading the workload that you usually put off until Monday, then maybe take a stab at it on Friday instead. Rearrange your schedule and your projects so that you can get more done by the end of Friday, leaving your weekend open and your return on Monday a little less anxiety-inducing. Also be sure to avoid checking your emails or calls from work over the weekend. You should leave the office on Friday with a sense of closure and come back on Monday with a sense of a new beginning.

Make the end of Monday more enjoyable. Friday doesn't have to be the only day of the work week that you're looking forward to finishing. Plan for something fun or relaxing to do when you leave work on Mondays. You can get together with friends, enjoy your favorite dinner, or catch up on your favorite TV shows. Your time shouldn't just be spent feeling miserable about the day you've already had.

While we'd all like for the weekend to never end, we still have places to be and things to do when Monday rolls around. But at least we can feel better about it with a little planning and effort.

Image by Petras Gagilas on Flickr