"Working Just Enough to Leave on Time"... The Buzz Around 'Minimal Monday' [Youth Report]

UK BBC Introduces 'Minimum Monday'
"Term Reflecting Desire for Work-Life Balance"

There is a common ailment that office workers often experience. It is called 'Monday blues.' Every Monday morning, workers are sometimes overwhelmed by physical and mental fatigue, leading to feelings of helplessness. This phenomenon is similar abroad as well. In the United States, expressions like 'Sunday Scaries' and 'Monday's blue' are used to describe this feeling. So, what efforts are being made overseas to overcome Monday blues?

"I was afraid to fall asleep every Sunday"... The buzz around 'Bare minimum Mondays'

TikToker Marisa Jo Mace. [Image source=TikTok]

Recently, on social networking services (SNS) like TikTok, 'Bare minimum Mondays' has become a hot topic. This term means doing light work on Mondays, right after the weekend ends, and was coined by TikToker Marissa Jo Mace.

Mace, a 29-year-old woman, felt frustrated with office life and started her own business, but Mondays were always difficult for her. She said, "Mondays were always exhausting and unproductive," and added, "I knew how unproductive I was and often made lists of things I should have been dissatisfied with." However, due to pressure, she was unable to complete the tasks she planned, and she could never fall asleep on Sundays.

She explained, "Every Sunday, I stayed up late because the earlier I went to bed, the sooner Monday would come." Eventually, to alleviate the 'fearful' Monday, Mace decided to perform only the bare minimum tasks. She said, "Lowering my expectations actually increased my productivity," and "I reconsidered how I think about work, productivity, and myself."

The British BBC also introduced 'Bare minimum Mondays' in an article titled '10 Workplace Buzzwords of 2023.' BBC explained, "The popularity of this term has exploded, and even as this article is being written, over 3 million TikTok posts are being searched," adding, "'Bare minimum Mondays' reflects employees' desire to better balance work and life."

Quiet resignation and loud resignation... Office workers harboring resignation

This can be seen in a similar context to 'quiet resignation.' 'Quiet resignation' refers to a state where employees do not actually quit their jobs but only handle the minimum amount of work, showing no intention to contribute to the company.

Recently, it became a hot topic that one out of every two office workers is in a state of 'quiet resignation.' According to a survey conducted by HR tech company Incruit on 1,097 office workers regarding their perception of 'quiet resignation,' 51.7% of respondents said they are currently in a 'quiet resignation' state. When asked why, the most common reason was dissatisfaction with the current company's salary and benefits (32.6%), followed by a lack of enthusiasm for working at the company itself (29.8%) and preparing for a job change (20.5%).

On the other hand, some office workers choose 'loud resignation.' Unlike 'quiet resignation,' this involves employees who are considering quitting actively expressing their dissatisfaction with their workplace and tasks. While 'quiet resignation' implies an intention to do only the minimum work without actually quitting, loud resignation differs in that the employee may actually leave their job.

Related to burnout syndrome... Efforts needed for prevention

These phenomena are all related to burnout syndrome. Burnout syndrome refers to a condition where a person who was enthusiastically engaged in work experiences extreme physical and mental fatigue and becomes lethargic. The World Health Organization (WHO) defined burnout syndrome in 2019 as 'chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.' Although it is not a medical disease, it is recognized as a symptom that needs to be properly understood and managed.

To prevent burnout syndrome, it is important to have a balanced amount of work, rest, and hobbies. It is best to think about work only at the workplace, strive for regular lifestyle habits, and avoid alcohol and smoking. Additionally, engaging in regular exercise, talking with family and friends, and practicing meditation to clear the mind are good preventive measures to avoid mental stress. However, if symptoms are severe, it is advisable to visit a psychiatrist.