Mondays can energize your week or jeopardize everything. However, there’s no need to dread Mondays if you start your week off right. Here’s how:
1 Start at home.
It’s not a myth that breakfast is an energizer, as is sufficient rest and physical exercise. Even the busiest successful people have acknowledged how essential it is to make time for physical fitness. For example, a study in the Journal of Exercise Physiology reveals that a higher level of fitness positively impacts employee productivity, perceived job satisfaction, and may even reduce absenteeism. Sunday night is a good time to plan your exercise routine, prep your meals, and lay out your outfits for the week. With these time-consuming decisions out of the way, Monday mornings will run more smoothly and you will arrive at work ready to face the world.
2 Establish a “Do Not Disturb” session.
If you work with others, let them know that you are setting aside some focus time each Monday for working alone. Gently discourage interruptions by closing your door or wearing a pair of headphones. You will see why this time is important in the next step.
3 Organize your space.
If your desk and office are in a disarray, the stresses of last week will carry over into your new one. According to professional organizer Marla Ottenstein, organization is the key to getting things done: “My motto, which I am forever repeating to my clients, is simple, “A clean desk equals a clear mind.” Tidying up and putting things in their place for five minutes on Monday morning can make you feel prepared to accomplish your weekly goals.
4 Preview your week.
As you read over your emails, pencil in events, meetings, and other important dates onto your calendar. Doing so will help you avoid scheduling conflicts and forgotten obligations. It’s also an opportunity to make a to-do list and prioritize your workload. You can’t plan every minute or anticipate every commitment, but you can get a good idea of what you have to do so that you can make informed decisions about other things that come up.
These tedious adjectives have got to go. #cleanwriting https://t.co/fl4eLVZeb2 pic.twitter.com/IxKeKea96K
— Grammarly (@Grammarly) April 11, 2018
5 Send out good vibes.
Once you have set yourself up for success, it’s time to motivate the team. Even if you don’t play a managerial role, you can still do your part to keep morale high. Andrew G. Rosen, a career advice blogger, says that a kind greeting “maintains the standards of basic civility that we’re all entitled to at work. Like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, [a few kind words] go a long way towards improving communication and the overall atmosphere.”
6 Schedule an awesome evening.
You have probably heard what’s said about “all work and no play.” If you make fun plans for Monday night, you will have something pleasant to look forward to at the end of the day. Each person has a different idea as to what is fun—from dancing to video games to a night at the movies with your friends. The point is, give yourself permission to enjoy yourself! If you implement the previous suggestions, you will really deserve a break.
7 Gently wind yourself down at night.
Speaking of breaks, don’t forget to give yourself a few moments at the end of the day to decompress. Do something that will relax you, such as sipping a cup of herbal tea, reading a book, or soaking in a warm bubble bath. The activity you choose should prepare you to drift peacefully off to sleep at a decent hour. Sleep expert Matthew Walker advises dimming the lights in your home and turning off blue-light emitting devices (i.e., LED screens) at least an hour before bed.
Some people skip breakfast, but there’s no getting around the first day of the week. Mondays don’t have to be a such a drag. In fact, if you use Monday as a day to organize and preview your upcoming obligations, you might just find that your newly happy, productive Mondays are the best days of the week!
