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What if Monday became the most relaxed day of the work week? A new concept on TikTok is encouraging employees to unload stress by doing the bare minimum at work on the day. The Bare Minimum Monday trend, popularized by American TikToker Marisa Jo Mayes, is drawing interest as well as the wrath of some internet users, because of the feasibility of this practice.
What if Monday became the most relaxed day of the work week? A new concept on TikTok is encouraging employees to unload stress by doing the bare minimum at work on the day. The Bare Minimum Monday trend, popularized by American TikToker Marisa Jo Mayes, is drawing interest as well as the wrath of some internet users, because of the feasibility of this practice.
'Do as little as possible on Mondays'. This is the motto behind the latest concept trending on TikTok, "Bare Minimum Monday," invented by a 29-year-old American web user, Marisa Jo Mayes. For more than a year, Mayes has implemented this strategy into her everyday life in order to keep burnout at bay, she asserts. The practice consists of coming to the office on Monday and doing the bare minimum, in order to keep the energy for the rest of the week. In her video, "The Story Behind Bare Minimum Monday," the creator explains the reason she coined the concept, after experiencing depression due to pressure related to her job. "You'd get out of bed feeling like you were already behind, you'd make a to-do list that was way too long, thinking you could over-achieve your way out of the stress, but you never did....So you started to wonder why: so you can make your life a living hell in the name of productivity? ... So, one Monday last year, you woke up and gave yourself permission to do the bare minimum for work that day."
The hashtag "Bare Minimum Monday" currently tallies over two million views on the social network TikTok. Marisa Jo Mayes doesn't hesitate to praise the many benefits of this practice: "The pressure was gone and everything felt different. Your work was easier and you felt better."
In one of her videos, the young woman can be seen doing her Monday morning "self care" rituals, wrapped up in a bathrobe, then tidying up her apartment instead of starting work at the appointed time. Viewers are inspired to follow suit, like another TikToker, Celeste, who hailed the practice as key to her efficiency, saying it has allowed her to start "prioritizing [her] time efficiently."
The Bare Minimum Monday, like any viral trend on TikTok, was soon criticized by internet users, who lamented that it was a trivialization of laziness. In the comments, many question how realistic this practice is. "The Bare Minimum doesn't work if I have to be at work at 7:30 am," one comment reads. The practice is all the more paradoxical, many point out, since the person behind the movement is self-employed. Nevertheless, the TikToker thinks that it can be used by people employed in classic 9-5 office jobs. "Tuesday you an over-achieve, Once you've condensed your to-do list as much as possible [for Monday]." One internet user responded in the comments, "Totally not possible if working as a teacher."
In the collective mind, Monday is indeed the most dreaded day of the week. In 2018, a LinkedIn survey reported that 90% of Millnenials and members of Gen Z dread Sunday, as it heralds the return to work. A sentiment shared by 80% of employees. Like "quiet quitting" or "Act Your Wage," "Bare Minimum Monday" is in line with other Gen Z movements to put mental health above all else. Like their predecessors, the new generation wants to find a balance between work and personal life in order to protect themselves from burnout, anxiety, stress and exhaustion.
