
“How many people just get up on Monday and do the same thing they’ve done every single Monday – go to work and just turn on route automatic and no longer have any meaning in their life?” – Erwin McManus – Author and Motivational Speaker
The above quote says it all. Monday blues is part of our lives. We all go through this, virtually every week as many people can’t see the clock ticks past midnight on Sunday as it signals the start of Monday. But believe me, Mondays are not that horrible. Remember the times when you were eager for the start of the new week as a project was about to commence. Or when you were anticipating winning a bidding process. Mondays can be exciting too.
I admit that there are good reasons for people to be wary of Monday, but most of them are psychological ones rather than anything else. People dread the start of a new week as anxiety about what will happen in the new week takes over rather than anything else. At the workplace, this feeling can wreak havoc, and the consequences can be dire for both the employees and the management of the company.
There are several ways in which we can easily make Mondays productive and fun to work on. So, read on as I’ll guide you to make the most of Mondays rather than think of it as the doomsday!
Organize Your Workspace
Make sure the place where you sit to work alone or with other people is clean, and everything is in the place. Try this simple thing, and you will see the result for yourself. It takes just a few seconds to place a thing where it is supposed to be, and your desk will be neat and clean for the new work week.
A cluttered desk is a productivity killer. We waste precious time in looking for a piece of paper to write on finding the dustbin to throw away a soft drink can. Also, get rid of things you don’t use and are just gathering dust on your desk. Take care of your personal space for a better start as the new week begins and things will be just fine later in the week.
Morning Flow
In an ideal world, all of us think of starting every Monday 30 minutes before time, and after having a wholesome breakfast and a sound sleep the previous night. Of course, few people can manage this routine on a typical Monday morning, so what to do? Starting your day on a high, set the tone for the rest of your day.
Getting enough sleep on Sunday night and reaching office on time will kickstart your Monday morning so that you are ready for the challenge ahead.
Know your Productive Time
If you are confident that you can complete many tasks in the morning hours or before lunch, you must go for it leaving aside all the distractions. You can always start by doing one thing that you can complete within minutes. Be it an email or creating a to-do list for the rest of the week, this one thing will get you going as you will feel you’re already in the swing of things.
On Mondays, time can fly by pretty quickly. So, it’s crucial to protect this productive time. Avoid meetings, phone calls, and even emails if you can and focus on the task at hand for best results.
Best Results with Optimal Focus
Not many people can work straight for 3-4 hours. Neuroscientists tell us that the average brain has an average attention span of about 40 minutes. So, if you think that you can work in 40-minute blocks, sounds good. But read the first line again. It says average attention span for average brains. Don’t treat yourself as an ordinary person. Start at 40 minutes but try to increase it to at least 60 minutes for making full use of the precious time you have at the workplace.
Pick One Primary Goal & Evaluate your Success
On Mondays, don’t try to overburden yourself with tasks that you can’t do in a day. Instead, pick an important task and make it your priority. Even if it is reading a new autobiography by your favorite actor, go for it. Don’t try to multitask as things will get complicated after a while, and you will end up completing not a single one.
For a productive Monday, start planning from Friday. For example, the task may be related to a key aspect of a project that you need to complete on Monday. Set a time to start and stick to it with a single goal in mind.
Take Regular Breaks
Don’t try to complete everything in the first half. You have a full day to work, so take regular breaks to freshen up. On Mondays, things can be really hectic, and mini-breaks of 5 minutes for a refreshing cup of coffee can fully energize you for the next hour or two.
Without proper breaks, you can become exhausted before the end of the first half and will not be in a state, both mentally and physically, for completing the tasks on time. Take a quick walk for 2 minutes or do some stretching while sitting on standing. You will feel relaxed and ready for the next scheduled task.
Use a Productivity Tool
On a Monday morning, you may feel like trying something different, or just want to start the new week by learning a new skill. Use of a productivity management tool like TaskQue can be great for anyone. These tools are great for optimizing the performance of a team. On a lazy-looking Monday morning, don’t look for an excuse to skip tasks that are assigned to you. Instead, learn to use such tools through which you can work smarter by accomplishing more in less time.
Over to you
Despite the bad name, Mondays are not that awful. By applying the tips mentioned above, I am sure you can make not only just Mondays but all the days of the week super-productive.
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