I am not a fan of Monday.
These days they seem to just serve as a reminder of things that didn’t get done over the weekend as well as the start to another exhausting week of To-Dos.
But if there is anything that I’ve learned over this last year, it’s that perception is reality and changing your outlook isn’t all that hard. So I’m gonna give Monday a shot at becoming a different kind of day, and I’d love for you to join me. Here are 5 ways to conquer your case of the Mondays:
1. Plan ahead
Spending Sunday night thinking about all the stuff you have to do next week may seem like a good way to ruin your evening, but it actually helps clear your mind. Spend 15 minutes jotting down a rough list of things that you want and need to accomplish over the next few days and make note of what can be done when. Double check that your appointments are all on the calendar, then set it aside until morning. You’ll sleep better knowing that you’ve got things ‘under control’ and it’s easier to tackle when you can see the whole picture.
2. Stretch
Roll out of bed and onto your yoga mat and stretch for 10 minutes Monday morning before you do anything else. No email and no breakfast until you’ve completed your cat/cow, downward dog and a couple sun salutations. You will feel invigorated and less cranky, AND you’re almost guaranteed to make a better breakfast decision (which impacts your whole day).
3. Do the worst thing first
Grab your to-do list and find the thing you dread the most. Get that out of the way and you’ll open up your whole week. If you can’t do it yet, play the 20 minute game. Set a timer for 20 minutes and get as many small tasks as you can done in that time. From breezing through the house on a pickup mission to sorting through emails and snail mail in the office, crossing a bunch of things off your list right away will give you a great sense of accomplishment.
4. Put something off
Now that you’ve crossed a bunch of stuff off the list, pick something that doesn’t have to be done today and procrastinate. You can get by without groceries one more day, and technically that bill is not due until Friday…that’s plenty of time.
The point of a list is to get organized and be in control of what you have to do, not to stress you into working until bedtime.
5. Look forward to tonight
Summery Monday evenings are perfect for spending outdoors. Invite a couple neighbors over for an impromptu bbq (with easy menu items consisting of whatever you and they have in the fridge), meet friends for happy hour on a patio or grab a girlfriend for an after dinner walk and catch-up session. Looking forward to something makes the day seem less dreary.
Once you’ve made it through Monday with your spirit in tact, get ready for Tuesday. It only takes a couple days of ‘practice’ before you’ll start to feel like you’ve got this whole happy life thing down
Let me know how it works out!
