A reflection on how a simple Monday routine can quietly shape peace, discipline, and gratitude.
I know, that question sounds like a trap. Most people roll their eyes when they hear the word “Monday.” It’s the universal villain in the calendar. The day that ruins Sunday night peace, the day when alarms sound extra annoying, and caffeine becomes emotional support.
But for me, Monday has become oddly comforting.
It always starts the same way: I order food from my favorite warteg for the whole week’s meals, my husband dives into his endless loop of online meetings, my daughter heads off to college, and Cleansheet Ranger works his magic around the house.
It’s a ritual now, the kind that makes life feel stable.
Today, though, something slightly different happened: my husband and I actually went to the gym. Yes, fitness! After months of excuses, skipped sessions, and “maybe tomorrow” promises, we finally showed up.
To be fair, we did rehire our personal trainer last week, the same one we ghosted since March. We had bought a 20-session package last year, and let me tell you, it’s the most long-lasting purchase we’ve ever made. The sessions just never seem to end, partly because we never used them.
But today, I decided to work out solo. No trainer. Just me, my playlist, and that awkward moment of pretending to know what I’m doing with the dumbbells.
And you know what? It felt good.
It wasn’t glamorous or Instagram-worthy, I didn’t transform into an athlete in one session. But I moved. I stretched. I sweated. And in that quiet post-workout calm, I realized how much I’d missed feeling connected to my body.
Back home, I returned to my other Monday ritual: shower and shampoo, and sorting the warteg food. If you don’t live in Indonesia, let me paint a picture. A warteg is like the everyday hero of the working class, a humble food stall serving home-style dishes at unbelievably low prices.
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| All of these only cost IDR 67k for 3 days for 3 adults. |
For just six thousand rupiah per serving (that’s less than 50 cents!), I can get various delicious side dishes that last almost a week. With a hundred thousand rupiah, my fridge is full, my family is happy, and my sanity is saved.
It’s the ultimate life hack for moms like me who juggle work, home, and everything in between.
The warteg I order from, Kharisma Bahari, is a gem. There are many other wartegs out there, but not all are created equal. After trying a few through ShopeeFood, I can confidently say this one is the real deal. Their variety is unbeatable, the taste consistent, and they somehow manage to make spinach and tempeh exciting every week.
Of course, I like to add my own touch. Sometimes I bake or air-fry extra protein: marinated chicken or fish. That way, lunch feels a bit more “home-cooked” without me actually spending two hours in the kitchen.
Because honestly, I have love and hate relationship with cooking, especially on Mondays.
Mondays are for catching up, cleaning up, and gearing up for the week. It’s when emails pile up, deadlines stare at you, and adulting feels most real. So having food ready feels like a small act of kindness to my future self.
And here’s something I’ve noticed over time: when I start my Monday right (with order, intention, and just a hint of self-care) the rest of the week follows suit.
The warteg meals might seem like a small thing, but they represent more than convenience. They’re now part of a rhythm that grounds me. It’s the quiet structure behind the chaos, the proof that even simple routines can hold peace of mind.
When I think about it, maybe that’s what adulthood really is: not big milestones or fancy goals, but learning how to make peace with repetition. Learning how to turn “just another Monday” into something that feels like home.
Maybe Mondays are not our enemies. Maybe they’re our quiet mentors, teaching us how to begin again; one meal prep, one workout, one small choice at a time.
If you treat every Monday like a gentle reset instead of a punishment, you’ll start to see grace in places you once called routine.