4 Unexpected Ways to Make Mondays Less Manic and More Productive
It’s less about getting just anything done, and more about getting the RIGHT things done.
Photo: Plush Design Studio for Pexels
Too often we have that dreaded feeling of obligation on Sunday about all of the things we have to do, should do, or don’t want to do at work the next morning. Some people refer to them as the Sunday scaries or the Sunday blues, but no matter what they’re called, feeling anxious and stressed—especially when you’re not working—is no fun.
While Mondays can be notoriously manic, and ending the day with no real work accomplished is definitely a possibility, it doesn’t have to be that way.
In fact, they can be quite productive, which is less about getting just anything done and more about getting the RIGHT things done—the stuff that will help you grow your expertise, your brand, your career, and your business’s bottom line.
So if the weekend has been feeling five days too short, here are some tips to get you excited for your work week.
1. A PRODUCTIVE MONDAY STARTS ON FRIDAY.
Instead of shutting down your laptop early on Friday and daydreaming about how you’ll spend all of your free time, take 10 minutes to debrief how your week went.
Make a list of:
Your wins. What went really well? Make sure you celebrate these and enjoy them.
Unaccomplished tasks. Are they important enough to be carried over to next week? Does it make more sense to delegate them to a team member? Or is it no longer important at all?
Which situations/tasks feel challenging. A great starting point when writing this list is to think about what you’ve been procrastinating on. Oftentimes, just by writing it down, you’ll see why it’s been so difficult and will be able to understand what you need to move forward.
Who you want to connect with next week? The success of a small business is all about the community you surround yourself with, so make a note of who you want to reach out to next week and cold-email.
By taking time to review what worked and what didn’t, you can be mindful of your priorities, understand how you can improve your workflow, and get a better idea of what’s been standing between you and that big goal you want to achieve.
2. HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON.
In the early days of my business, I remember being at war with my need for sleep and my ambition to grow my business. I know that many of you feel that same way, especially if you love what you do—but the number one thing you need to have if you want to create meaningful work in this world is endurance. The most effective way to build that is through hitting the pause button.
Take the weekend to practice self-care in whatever form is best for you—go for a walk, reconnect with family, or read that novel that’s been collecting dust on your nightstand.
3. DEFINE HOW YOU WANT TO FEEL.
Ask yourself these two questions:
How do I want to feel on Monday?
How do I want to feel on Friday when the week is over?
When you take some time for this kind of self-inquiry, you can get crystal clear on what you need to make your week work for you. Visualize your Monday morning with you feeling whatever emotions you chose—excited, focused, passionate—and then visualize what you’ll feel like Friday afternoon.
Visualization is a proactive way to help you have more control over your workweek instead of allowing you to passively get by in a stress-induced state.
4. SAY “NO.”
While many of us struggle with saying “no,” it’s a critical component of increasing productivity. Think about what tasks you dread come Monday morning or during the week and figure out how you can stop doing them.
You can split this list into two sections:
What you are able to stop doing today?
What are you going to stop doing in the future?
Some things take a little more work to let go, delegate, or outsource. But when you commit to no longer doing things out of obligation, you’ll find that you have more free time to spend on work that actually matters.
Mondays don't have to be manic. They can be our most productive day of the week if we plan for them. Instead of spending your Sundays dreading Monday, take these 5 steps and put them into practice. You'll be amazed at how quickly your view on Mondays turns around!
About the Author: Tara Newman is a Leader of Leaders. Through her podcast, The Bold Leadership Revolution as well as her association, The BRAVE Society, she supports leaders as they embrace their ambition and leave the grind behind. Using decades of entrepreneurial experience and a Master’s in Organizational Psychology, Tara is uniquely qualified to teach leaders to run businesses without sacrificing their health, relationships, or integrity by establishing behaviors, habits, and rituals aligned with their vision of success. Connect with Tara on Instagram @thetaranewman and listen to the Bold Leadership Revolution Podcast on her website.
This story was originally published on May 12, 2019, and has since been updated.
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8 Ways to Motivate Your Monday, Sunday Night
When we see potential, we just gotta see it through.
So many of us experience Monday blues comes Sunday night. But taking small steps Sunday night to prep for the week can make all the difference.
We're not saying you'll love going back into the office first thing Monday, but you might have a different feeling about your week by hump day.
Plan your meals.
This is a simple step to saving time during the week. Food preparation allows for easy grab-and-go lunches that are healthy. They save you money (which, saves on stress) and, according to the World Health Organization, with the right ingredients you can boost your brain power by 20%. And who doesn’t need an extra brain boost? Dark leafy greens, salmon, and nuts all boost cognitive function. Plus you won’t waste 30 minutes trying to decide what to Postmates to your desk.
Fill in your calendar.
Filling in your calendar frees up a lot of space in your head. If you start Monday AM knowing exactly what you have to tackle, you can jump right in, instead of spending the morning trying to get organized. Moreover when we handle tedious tasks during down time, instead of during a stressful morning, we’re less likely to make errors.
Draft emails.
OK. While this may feel like “working” on Sunday, spending 30 minutes to an hour to draft important emails you want to go out Monday morning can help you sleep soundly on Sunday night. If you find that you toss and turn all night because you’re stressed thinking about Monday morning, this small step that feels like work, ends up working for your sleep habits.
And a good night sleep should be top priority on Sunday.
Write a Monday to-do list, broken down by hour.
This is a trick that very busy people use. You don’t have to plan the whole week— in fact working just one day in advance has shown to make workers more productive. Chart your Monday by the hour, and as each 60 minutes passes, check it off. The momentum of productivity (i.e. crossing something off a list) has a very positive effect on your work and how you feel about the work.
For example:
- 9am. Answer emails
- 10am. Meeting with team
- 11 am. Come up with creative ideas for Thursday pitch
- 12n. Draft interview questions for X
Declutter your space.
Change your sheets, make the bed, organize your mail. Studies show that clutter undermines your productivity, so don’t let this happen to you.
This includes YOUR CAR. Most of the time we talk about decluttering space, people think about their home, especially a home office or their bedroom. But if you commute to work, and your car looks like the inside of frat house, that’s the FIRST space that’s on your mind when you get to the office. And it can effect your work.
Collect those old Kind bar wrappers, the coffee cup in the center console, and the shoes and jacket you tossed into the backseat. The cleaner the space, the clearer your mind.
Pay any outstanding bills, fill prescriptions, and go to the market.
These are the kind of tasks that stress anyone out, especially when their work week is jam-packed. And small tasks that float around in the back of your head take up BIG amounts of space. Check them off and get ready to check-in to Monday.
Work out.
It’s one of the best ways to get your week off on the right, healthy foot. Working out has been proven to improve concentration and mood, both of which are in hot demand come Monday.
Have a glass of red wine, read a book, have a meal with friends…
Whatever works best for you to relax, with Monday on the horizon, it’s too easy to slip into a negative state of mind. But that not only effects your sleep it also effects which side of the bed you wake up on Monday AM.
Your mood matters, so do something to put your mind at ease. Oh and did we mention that red wine significantly improve memory and motor skills. Cheers to you Sunday night!
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Pre-Week Motivation From One of Our Favorite CEOs
She's also the dance party queen.
When Sonja Rasula, CEO & Founder of @UniqueMarkets, @TheUniqueCamp, and @TheUniqueSpace got the #CreateCultivateSEA crowd on the Main Stage AND dancing during our last conference, it was truly something special. As she stated on her personal IG,
"Here's to those willing to take risks, to say yes to the unknown, to be weird in front of hundreds of strangers. A week ago these brave women got up on stage with me, learned their moves in less than one minute, and gave-it-a-go in front of hundreds of women staring back at them. BRAVO TO THE DARING - the difference between most people and these women is that they climbed onto the stage, knew their moves wouldn't be in sync, were faced with judging stares and DID IT ANYWAYS. And when making decisions in meetings, or figuring out a business idea or planning for a presentation, my guess is these ladies will conquer anything you throw at them, instead of being nervous and sitting on the sideline. 🎉 It was an honor seeing you all at my workshop, just look at those smiles and those moves!!!!"
She's also the owner of the above words, which, might be one of our most liked photos on IG-- ever. So in preparation for our Create & Cultivate x Marriott Hotels popup in Portland this week, where Sonja will be taking the stage to keynote and inspired, we had her rework some of our favorite inspirational sayings.
Check out the below for a little pre-week motivation and be sure to RSVP to our Portland event here.
1. Original: Success comes to those who wait. Sonja’d: Success comes over nights.
2. Original: Do one thing every day that scares you. Sonja’d: If it's easy, you're not doing it right.
3. Original: You can do it, put your back into it. Sonja’d: UM I WOULD SAY EXACTLY THAT!
4. Original: People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. Sonja’d: All it takes is a big idea and a little crazy.
"If it's easy, you're not doing it right."
Tweet this.
5. Original: Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right. Sonja’d: You are your biggest critic, let go. Become your biggest cheerleader.
6. Original: Done is better than perfect. Sonja’d: Dreamers dream. Doers get shit done.
Have a favorite saying? Share in the comments below!