Mondays are the worst. We all know that, right? Not only do we have to wake up early and get back to business after two days of fun but we also have to sift through whatever mess we left for ourselves on Friday (not cool to do to yourself, btw). But, they don't have to be as bad as we have made them out to be. After all, dreading Monday mornings only hurts us even more. Here are some tips to show Monday, and yourself, some love.
Develop a Plan
Having a productive week starts on Monday. Beginning your week with a clear plan and priorities is crucial. Get your ducks in a row and keep a close eye on your calendar and to-do list throughout each week. Take an hour on Friday afternoon to review your goals for the upcoming week and flag items that need to be completed or worked on. If you're not already using a calendar, start! Whether it’s the calendar on your phone or a planner/wall calendar, having tasks visually laid out for you is a major help. I recommend a digital calendar as this enables you to send and receive meeting invites and set up reminders for yourself, plus, it's 2020, folks. To be fair, I also keep a desk calendar because I love the satisfaction of physically crossing things off. So, I'm not judging you, but other people might if you don't send or rsvp to meeting invites.
Beware of Meetings
First and foremost, consider if you really need to have a meeting and whether it can take place virtually (using skype, zoom or regular phone call) or it actually needs to be in person. We all know, meetings can disrupt an entire day. If they’re too early in the day, you never quite feel caught up on emails and normal morning routines. Late afternoon meetings may not give you the chance to adequately wrap up your day, or have you working late into the evening. Try to schedule meetings at a time that won’t derail your productivity for the rest of the day and whenever possible, try not to schedule meetings on a Monday. Instead, use Monday to make sure you are prepared for that week’s meetings.
Tackle the Inbox
It’s easy to get backed up in work, especially when it comes to emails. Sometimes, the emails that need our attention and go unanswered are those that would only take a minute or two to answer. Let’s think for a minute about the kind of people that annoy us, whether it’s right or wrong. We all get frustrated when we are made to wait for simple answers, don’t we? We know how busy life is but we also know when a reply to an email would only take a moment and it can be inconvenient when we’re left in limbo for weeks. Whenever possible, don’t be that person. I’m not saying you should stay up all hours, responding to every email, but if you take 20 minutes or so a day to go through your inbox and answer emails that would only take 1-2 minutes to answer, you’d be surprised what you are able to accomplish, how much you’re able to knock off your to-do list and how good it feels! Those emails that are waiting for yes/no answers or a quick rsvp to a meeting - answer them quickly and move on. Doing this on Friday is a GREAT feeling and you'll thank yourself Monday morning, too!
Weekly Recap
Take a look at what you wanted to get done in the most recent week but never got around to doing. That’s right, not only do we not always do everything we intended, but we’re also going to admit it and figure out a way to get it done. Start by reevaluating how important these tasks are and the best times to work on them. Penciling in time to take care of those items early on Monday morning may be the key to finally getting them done.
Show Monday Some Love
Lastly, anything that you regard with distaste and dread is going to be tough to get through. Try to change how you feel about Mondays. Maybe set a theme for it each week by having a special lunch or dinner plan or anything else that gives you a reason to look forward to it. Going into the day with a positive attitude really will help, as cheesy as that sounds. Look at Monday more like an opportunity to start the week off on the right foot and get yourself organized.
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