Bare minimum Mondays: A healthy work-life balance or just slacking off?

A new concept is taking a turn on social media among Millennials and Gen Z — bare minimum Mondays.

This new trend has gained popularity for seeking to emphasize a healthy work-life balance. Essentially, a bare minimum Monday is a Monday where someone eases into the work week by doing only essential tasks to get through the day.

One of the most outspoken proponents of the bare minimum Mondays trend is digital creator Marisa Jo Mayes, who came up with the concept. The influencer promotes the philosophy through her TikTok and Instagram pages, sharing the benefits, as well as her own experiences.

@itsmarisajo Bare Minimum Monday still means sticking to the structure I know works for me — just going a bit slower ???? #bareminimummonday #bareminimummondays #wfh #selfemployed #slowwork #selfemployedlife #productivitytips ♬ Theme From A Summer Place - Percy Faith

One message is a bare minimum Monday helps reduce stress for a smoother transition into the work week. In many of her videos, Mayes talks about her struggles before adopting the concept, saying that that she was among many people who struggled with their weekly list of tasks, filled with unattainable goals that make them less productive and affect their mental health.

Everybody hates Mondays

Garfield the comic strip cat isn’t the only one who hates Mondays.

It turns out most Americans aren’t fond of the beginning of the work week, either. According to a 2021 poll conducted by YouGov, Monday is the least favorite day of the week for 58% of working Americans.

A common conception held by workers has resulted in “Sunday Scaries,” a term describing the Sunday evening feeling of realizing the stress of the impending work week ahead. That apprehension is apparently very common. A study from LinkedIn and Headspace found that roughly 70% of working Americans say they’re experiencing them.

A Gallup survey found that younger employees have reported more stress and burnout in the workplace than their older counterparts. The survey also found 68% of Gen Z and younger Millennials (born after 1989) reported dealing with stress often.

Corporate backlash

Not everyone is a fan of the bare minimum Mondays trend. For as many TikTok videos sharing helpful tips for productive and fulfilling bare minimum Mondays, there are just as many claiming that Gen Z, and anyone who subscribes to the trend, is just looking to slack off.

The biggest dissent of opinion seems to be in the phrasing of the trend, “bare minimum.” While the phrase does mean doing what is required of a task or objective, some older Millennials, Gen X, and the Baby Boomer generation on TikTok see it as avoiding necessary work.

It’s evidently clear that there will not be a widespread shift to bare minimum Mondays, from the employer side.

Comedian Colin Jost poked fun at the concept during a Weekend Update segment on “Saturday Night Live,” suggesting older generations’ efforts for a better future were futile.

@your.comedy.cave Bare minimum monday! #snl #bareminimummonday #yourcomedycave ♬ original sound - your.comedy.cave

On an interview with “Good Morning America,” Tessa White, author of “The Unspoken Truths for Career Success,” argues that these new workplace trends are attempts to put focus on self-care after a clear indication of burnout among professionals.

Healthier than the hustle

Only performing essential tasks to start the week acts as a guard against the hustle culture that is widely seen in the American workplace.

In January, the unemployment rate had dropped to 3.4%, the lowest it had been since 1969.

In May, the Department of Labor reported that there were 6.1 million people unemployed.

The labor market is tight, and as Millennials and Gen Zers become a larger part of the workforce, their push for self-care-driven initiatives like bare minimum Mondays might get the leverage to see these ideas implemented at workplaces.