Monday is miserable, but not because of work. Because our towns and cities are lifeless on the first evening of the week. The pandemic changed our socialising habits, and then everything got more expensive.
But the places we like going to on the weekend are struggling the very day after. So much so that some restaurants and pubs have decided not to open at all, even in Central London. Not long ago, you couldn't tell most days of the week apart. In fact, in 2016, the Evening Standard reported that Mondays had become London's busiest night of the week.
If you're in your 30s, you've only got about two to three thousand Mondays left. Whether you think that's a little or a lot, why waste them?
At the start of the 20th century, Monday was most commonly 'wash day' in working-class households, while wealthier Londoners spent the evening on the town. This isn't about having a drink; avoid alcohol completely if you want to. But living in the age of the washing machine, you owe it to your ancestors not to squander your freedoms.
Part of Paperweight's 'Greater Things' series; #1001 ways to live your life greater. Get it delivered to your inbox every week with Sunday Paperweight when you subscribe for free.
