Bare Minimum Monday
what it means
Only essential tasks on Monday, saving momentum for the rest of the week. Framed as sustainability rather than laziness, though the naming does it no favours.
Deliberately starting the week gently to avoid burnout.
the origin story
Coined by TikTok creator Marisa Jo Mayes in 2022, describing her own approach to Sunday-night dread.
It became one of several named workplace practices from that period — alongside quiet quitting and lazy girl jobs — that got substantial business-press coverage. Occupational psychologists gave it a mixed reception, noting the burnout logic is sound but the framing invites easy dismissal.
in the wild
I don't book meetings before Tuesday.
Bare minimum Monday.
Doesn't the work just move?
Sometimes. It's about the dread, not the workload.
how to use it
- Describing a gentle start to the week
- Discussing burnout prevention
- Casual conversation about work habits
- In roles with fixed Monday deadlines
- As an announcement to a manager without context
- As a substitute for addressing genuine overwork
related terms
receipts
Community feedback
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