Mondays have a reputation for generating groans, moans, and an overreliance on coffee. It’s natural.
Yet, with the right mindset, motivation, and a few creative activities, you can turn a Monday into a launchpad for the week ahead.
Helping your teams manage the Monday blues is the backbone of this article, so let’s get into motivational quotes and activities that make Mondays less mundane!
Why is Monday motivation so crucial for teams?
Mondays certainly aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. After a weekend of relaxation, jumping back into work can feel like hitting a treadmill on max-incline. But what if Mondays weren’t the enemy? What if we could view them as a fresh restart?
Rather than waiting for inspiration to strike, turn active Monday motivation into a habit. Some companies embrace concepts like Bare Minimum Mondays to ease into the workweek without burnout. Try rotating one or two of our activities each week to solidify team morale and arrive at new perspectives.
For our motivational quotes, sometimes the day might be crying out for humorous ones, and some days you’ll want work-focused lines to help you meet deadlines head-on.
Whatever your Monday needs, we’ve got you covered. Let’s shake off the blues and start the week strong!
Motivational quotes to start the week right
If you’re struggling to gather enough steam on Monday morning, focus on a few of these quotes and set the week off right.
Powering through: Quotes on hard work & inspiration
Some of the best quotes for a challenging Monday morning come from industry specialists. These lines might help revitalize you with the drive you need to plow through the day, and stretch efforts right through the week:
- “Your Monday morning thoughts set the tone for your whole week. See yourself getting stronger, and living a fulfilling, happier and healthier life.” - Germany Kent
- “Today is your opportunity to build the tomorrow you want.” - Ken Poirot
- “You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.” - George Lorimer
- “When you start to do the things that you truly love, it wouldn’t matter whether it’s Monday or Friday; you would be so excited to wake up each morning to work on your passions.” - Edmond Mbiaka
- “This should be the spirit every Monday. Know that something good will always happen.” - Gabriel García Márquez
Funny quotes (from lands unknown!)
Not all quotes need to come from an industry mastermind or philosopher to capture what we’re feeling. Here are some of the best funny quotes for Monday, all from commenters unknown:
- “Monday is like a math problem. Add the irritation, subtract the sleep, multiply the problems, divide the happiness.”
- “Dear Monday, I want to break up. I’m seeing Tuesday and dreaming about Friday. Sincerely, It’s not me, it’s you”
- “Hello, Monday. May I ask you a question? Why are you always back so quickly? Don’t you have a hobby?”
- “One day on Mercury lasts about 1,408 hours. The same as one Monday on Earth.”
- “Sunday morning coffee is about pleasure, but Monday morning coffee is about necessity.”
- “If each day is a “gift,” I’d like to know where I can return Monday.”
- “Does running away from Mondays count as cardio?”
- “May your coffee be strong and your Monday be short.”
A Fresh Perspective: Quotes about attitude & mindset
Monday doesn’t have to be the enemy of the week, even if it feels like an indestructible supervillain. These quotes will help reframe your mindset and turn Monday into an opportunity rather than an obstacle:
- “Monday morning will come whether you set the alarm or not.” - Ursula K. LeGuin
- “The first man gets the oyster, the second man gets the shell.” - Andrew Carnegie
- “If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just keep putting off doing it.” - Olin Miller
- “Mondays are the potholes in the road of life, but every bump is a chance to rise.” - Tom Wilson
- “You can’t have a better tomorrow if you’re still thinking about yesterday.” - Charles Kettering
- “New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.” - Lao Tzu
Activities and games to motivate teams on a Monday
Cheer your teams up this Monday morning with a few of our activities to go alongside our motivational quotes. You’ll be helping them shake off the Monday dust and start the week strong:
1. Monday munch and mingle
Mondays can hit differently when good food is involved. Start the day with comfort breakfast favorites, like buttery croissants, pancakes with fruit, or our favorite, the classic bagel-and-coffee combo.
Treating your team to a morning munch is a simple way to show appreciation and fuel them up (both body and mind) for a productive day.
2. Monday mindset huddle
Getting into the office on a Monday morning can feel like stepping onto a treadmill that’s already running—fast. Before the emails ping on computer speakers and the chaos kicks in, bring the whole crew together for a quick mindset reset.
Keep it casual: share an inspiring team win from last week, or just a funny quote from our list to lighten the mood. Carrying this out as the leader of your teams lets them know you’ve got their back, and they’re not suffering Monday alone!
3. Shake up the space
They say that a change is as good as a rest. A change of scenery can shake off the Monday fog and spark fresh outlooks. Set up somewhere unexpected, like a nearby cafe or an open green area (if the weather is playing nice).
You could even turn it into a team energizer by organizing a “walking meeting,” whereby you don’t even use chairs and desks. Take a stroll beside a nearby lake or even through a corridor with a nice view and let new ideas flow!
4. Active recovery and recuperation
Sometimes Mondays can best be conquered by simply not rushing into it. Give the team permission to take an hour for themselves with no emails, no meetings, just a moment to breathe.
They might enjoy an extra coffee, read something non-work-related, or just sit in glorious, still silence. An intentional pause can help teams start the week feeling refreshed, not overwhelmed.
5. The “roll with it” dice game
Got a spare dice tucked away in an office drawer? Well, grab one and let fate decide your Monday morning! This could even work to motivate remote employees, as there are plenty of virtual dice online.
Draw up a list that shows each dice number corresponding to a small but fun workplace perk. Make them little meaningful gestures, like an extra-long coffee break or a snack run. This is a simple way to inject a random element into the start of a tough Monday morning.
6. Snapshot of the weekend
Ease into the groove of a Monday morning by using a little storytelling and catching up on how the weekend went. Ask your teams to share one highlight, one funny moment, or one unexpected event from their days off.
This should help cushion the blow of returning to a manic Monday and even serve well as a meeting icebreaker for new recruits getting to know each other. Encourage a few photos, because we’d love to see how high their Muay Thai kick can reach!
7. Monday meme exchange
If laughter is the best medicine, then most Mondays could do with a double dose. Kick off the week with a meme exchange, where team members drop their best Monday memes in the chat. Perfect for remote-team motivation, add a “Caption This” challenge for extra fun, and crown the Chuckle Champion who gave the most laughs. Smiles all round!
8. The gratitude drop
Even if some Mondays have a sense of glumness in the air, there’s still the chance of soothing the day by taking a moment of gratitude. Encourage the whole team to write down (anonymously, if you’d like) a quick thank-you, shoutout, or something they’re grateful for and drop it into a jar. At the end of the day, read a few out loud. It’s a small gesture that can generate a big impact.
9. Spin the wheel (of perks!)
Mondays sure can be unpredictable sometimes, so why not lean into the chaos a little? A morning meeting game can help shake off any Monday glumness floating through the office. Use an online mystery wheel generator filled with fun little perks, and spin away.! Try some of these:
- Choose a new office tradition: The winner creates a fun micro-tradition like "Tea & Trivia Tuesdays" or “Friday Designated DJ.”
- Gain a desk butler: A teammate must fetch their coffee/snacks for an hour.
- Doodle desk takeover: Decorate a teammate’s desk (or Zoom background) with post-its, cartoons and doodles.
10. Shoutout wall
Mondays might not be everyone's favorite, but you know what everyone enjoys? Getting a well-deserved shoutout. Set up a High-Five Board (physical or digital) where team members can show recognition and appreciation for their office compatriots.
This is a simple, feel-good teambuilding activity that reminds everyone of how much their efforts matter and that maybe, just maybe, Mondays aren’t so bad after all.
11. Surprise theme
Mondays might feel a little less cold and brutal if you throw in a little mystery and mayhem. Each week, the theme is revealed first thing Monday morning, giving the team a fun, last-minute challenge. Maybe today is Crazy Sock Day, or a Desk Safari (find the weirdest object on your desk).
Some themes may need quickfire participation, while others can roll out throughout the day. The results can be spontaneous and can shake up the start of the week because let’s be honest, most Mondays need a little fun injecting into them!
12. Music Monday: the team playlist
If Mondays had a soundtrack, it would probably just be the sound of tired sighs and desperate gulps of coffee. But why not change the tune (literally)? Once each month, create a collaborative Monday playlist where team members add a song that’s meaningful to them.
You might get feel-good motivational anthems, or you might get comedic tunes that help lighten the load. Compile each tune onto a playlist with Spotify Jam, and you’re creating a soundtrack that can help soothe each dark and cold Monday morning. Rock on!
13. Job swap (for an hour)
One of the things that can make Monday so challenging is that it can feel so repetitive. Why not make an active effort to switch things up a little? For one hour after the meeting finishes, have team members swap roles in pairs.
This activity might give a member a slightly new perspective and the ability to see a challenge in a new light. Even on a Monday, you never truly know who might unexpectedly thrive in a new task!
14. Inspiration board
Here’s an activity to turn Monday morning on its head. Reflect on the layout of your office and think of a place that would suit a big, bright inspiration board. On this board, let each person place a picture, a motto, or a memory that inspires them when the going gets tough.
Your teams might naturally create their own group inspirations that help them tackle their work challenges. You’ll be creating a space of community and shared positivity with a collection of inspirations. Sometimes, all it takes is one good idea to change the tone of the week.
15. Monday mind-blowing facts
If we’re being real, most of us need to warm our brains up before putting them into high gear on a Monday morning. Share one bizarre fact to get brains ticking. Did you know giraffes are 30 times more likely to get hit by lightning than humans, or that the world’s oldest dog lived to 29.5 years old? Neither did we! We encourage you to go out there and find some more surprising ones!
16. The Monday mystery box
Start the week off with a little mystery and excitement. Fill a glittery box with small surprises like snacks, handwritten jokes, or little gizmos. Each Monday, allow one random team member to open the box and claim something new! Simple, effective, and something to look forward to!
17. Reverse bucket-list challenge
Instead of stressing over the week ahead, take a moment to reflect and rewind over past achievements. Each Monday, ask team members to write down one thing they’ve already accomplished in life that makes them proud.
Take these and pin them to a board or share them digitally. This is a great way to shift the focus from what’s ahead to what has already been conquered.
18. Monday’s “Hot-Take” debate
It might be the case that your teams are ready to fire up and get into a little friendly debate. Try out a “hot-take” challenge where one team member drops a controversial (but fun) opinion and the rest of the team weighs in. Here are a few to get you in the mood:
- Pineapple always has, and always will belong on pizza.
- Croissants are superior to bagels.
- The full stop must be inside closing quotation marks when the quoted is a full grammatical sentence
19. The emoji recap game
Skip the long weekend stories and let emojis do the talking! This one works great for remote and virtual teams. Team members can drop three emojis that sum up their weekend into your communication channel. This is a quick, fun way to catch up without the strain on your Monday brain!
20. “Total randomizer” wheel
For our final activity, we recommend ramping up the random element bright and early on a Monday morning. Use a randomizer wheel (physical or digital) filled with random challenges for the team. Challenges might include “Answer an email in dramatic Shakespearean English” or “Only refer to coworkers as "champion" or "warrior" all morning.” The choice is yours!
Use the ultimate motivational tool of a team-building retreat!
Quotes and activities in the office work well, but if your team needs a greater boost, why not give them something incredible to look forward to? A Surf Office team-building retreat brings something out of the ordinary. Our trips take motivation beyond the breakroom and into destinations where creativity flows.
Here’s what we offer:
- Stress-free transfers? We got you! ✅
- Quality-assured accommodations? Check! ✅
- Engaging team-building activities? Our speciality ✅
- Restaurant reservations? That's on us! ✅
- Expert retreat planning assistance? Of course, we have this covered! ✅
- Onsite support, tailored to your needs? Absolutely ✅
Not only this but we also have access to 160+ locations around Europe, APAC, the US, Latin America, and now Africa, meaning the sky is your limit when it comes to choosing the right location for you and your team.
A team-building retreat can reignite the group’s energy and strengthen workplace connections in ways no Monday meeting ever could.
Let’s make it happen! Spaces are very limited, so get in touch with us today!
