Mondays seem to be the most dreaded of days, at least according to the people I know! But what if we somehow found ways to make Mondays work for us? Imagine being around people who're absolutely excited about their day, who treat their Mondays like they're Fridays. Now imagine being one of those people!
1) Get enough sleep the night before:
By making sure you get enough sleep, you'll start your Monday morning feeling refreshed. This in turn will mean that you're more energised and productive during the day, and less likely to feel stressed during the day.
2) Start your day off with some exercise:
You don't necessarily have to run 10 miles before breakfast, but even 10 minutes of mild stretching or yoga will do! Exercise in any form is a great stress reliever; it helps increase the production of endorphins, boosts self-confidence, relaxes you, and enables you to focus on the moment. If you're doing it right, it can be a meditative experience! Plus, the long-term health benefits aren't too bad either. Of course, some more exercise in the evening, if possible, is a great way to wind down the day and leave you feeling good about your Monday!
3) Dress up:
Monday is a great day to take a little extra time to look your best. I'm sure many of us are familiar with that feel-good that comes from knowing we're looking good. Is this a little vain? Maybe, but that doesn't make it wrong!
4) Get in a good breakfast:
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and still, it's the meal that most of us tend to skip during the day. It's easy enough to grab a cup of coffee and get out the door, but sitting down for something nutritional in the morning can go a long way! Aside from the health benefits of regularly eating breakfast, your morning meal will start you off with the energy required to tackle your workday.
5) Clean out your clutter at work and identify any pending work on Friday:
It's a perfectly human tendency to tend to relax toward the end of the week. But if you set aside sometime every Friday to clean up the clutter at your desk and to identify and prioritise pending work, you'll save that time and energy doing so Monday morning; leaving you ready to start your day on a productive, energetic note!
6) Minimise distractions when you're at your most productive:
You hopefully already know the time of the day when you're most productive. Block this time out on your schedule; avoid scheduling meetings at this time, send your calls to voicemail, and set your phone on silent. Not only will you be able to get a lot done, but at the end of the day you'll feel great about having accomplished so much on a Monday.
7) Take a few short breaks between tasks:
By scheduling a few short breaks during your day, you'll keep yourself from feeling lethargic and losing concentration on the task at hand. Spend this time walking a little bit if you have a desk job, or read something funny and/or inspirational.
8) Leave your work at work:
This one's pretty important! Learn to compartmentalise, and your future self will thank you for it. When winding up your work day, make sure to leave your work there, and tell yourself you'll deal with the rest tomorrow. If you've had a productive day, you shouldn't have any guilt about this at all since you'll have already done so much! This may be harder to do for some professionals, like entrepreneurs, but trust me on this; finding a good work-life balance will do you wonders, even if you're absolutely in love with your job!
9) Spend some time with your family and friends:
Even if many of your loved ones live far from you, modern technology means that you can still have quality time together! Time with your loved ones is a great thing to look forward to, and a wonderful pick-me-up (at any time during the week)!
10) Treat yourself:
You deserve to indulge yourself once in a while; be it by getting a chai from your favourite cafe, buying a good book, or wine and dinner with your best friends. Find something that you can do for yourself at the start of every week, and you'll be looking forward to Mondays in no time!
Happy Monday, dear readers! What are some tips you have to improve Mondays?
