After a relaxing weekend off, you may find it difficult to feel motivated to go back to work, exercise, or do anything else that requires effort. Even if you don’t work a Monday to Friday job, hearing about other people’s weekend adventures can dampen your spirits. Many people consider Monday to be the worst day of the week because it is always a little challenging starting a new work week, however it can be the spark of motivation you need to conquer the entire week ahead of you. The key to being productive throughout your week is the plan you make at the beginning.
The way you spend your Monday sets the tone for the rest of your week. It can affect “everything” from your mindset to your eating habits to your productivity. It is therefore important to set yourself up for success by incorporating a few positive habits into your Monday routine to make sure your week gets off on the right foot. You can either choose to see Monday as the start of a new work week, stress about how tired you are or you can look at it as a new start to accomplish something or change something.
You have the ability to create a positive start to your week. Start your day and continue to work on bringing positive thoughts, words, and actions into each day. With consistency, this will become second nature.
The Benefits of having a great start to your week:
- It leads to increased motivation
- It builds optimism and enthusiasm
- It leads to inner peace
- It leads to less stress and anxiety
- It leads to improved physical and mental wellbeing
- It leads to improved moods
- It leads to increased productivity
- It improves your attitude of gratitude
Action Steps:
The following actions can help you start your week off the right way:
1. Plan your week – planning and scheduling your to-dos a day before your week starts makes you less stressed and more productive.
2. Practice positive affirmations – intentionally declaring that your week will be great before it begins creates not only positive thoughts but positive actions.
3. Set a small weekly goal – motivate yourself by setting a personal goal for the upcoming week– one that is both challenging and fulfilling.
4. Organize all your things the day before – preparing everything you need for the next day allows you to have more time and avoid the morning rush.
5. Practice gratitude – writing out a few things that you’re thankful for can give you all the motivation you need to conquer your week.
6. Find a reason to smile – greeting someone with a smile can have a positive influence not only on your day but on someone else’s day as well.
7. Be kind – with so much going on in our current society, it’s refreshing to meet people who are sincere, polite, and remind us of the good in humanity. Your simple act of generosity may turn someone’s day around and lead them to respond in a positive way
8. Change your mindset – while everyone is bemoaning the start of the week, be the person who is upbeat, positive, and motivated.
9. Improve yourself – think of ways to improve yourself and become more efficient and productive.
10. Do your meal prep – doing your meal prep a day before your week starts makes you optimistic about the week ahead, and, if you already know all the tasty things you have planned for lunch, you’ll have something extra to look forward to every day of the week.
11. Have a fitness routine – exercising can clear your head and give you all the energy you need to get through the week productively and in good spirits.
12. Plan for fun – you can schedule a night out with friends, a date, or even binge-watch your favorite show; regardless of the activity, just thinking about the good times in store for you later in the week will improve your mood for the rest of the week