The Banking, Lending & Investing Issue (vol. 4 issue 2)
How to avoid a case of the Monday’s
My six tips to starting a productive work week
If you ask around the office what your staff’s least favorite day of the week is, Monday wins hands down. Coming off the freedom and excitement of the weekend, starting up at work again can often look much like a car stuck in a snow bank; wheels are spinning, but not much is going on.
Everyone knows that Monday is just as, if not more important than the rest of the week because it’s the day that sets us up for a week of success. Not to mention that Monday accounts for 20% of our typical work week! So how can you ensure that you start your week off right? Here are my 6 tips to avoid having a case of the Monday’s:
Work on Sunday
What did I just say? That’s right. The first key in having a successful Monday, is Sunday. Spend 20-30 minutes on Sunday before bedtime to list your most important items for the week. Send yourself an email from your phone with the list so Monday morning, you’re ready to go!
Wake up early
I try to wake up about an hour earlier than usual on Monday mornings. While that’s not always successful, I’m well intentioned. By waking up early, I can take the list I sent myself the night before and prioritize and categorize. I can also get some easy to-do items taken care of, like sending out important emails or meeting requests.
The “to-do” list
Rather than a typical to-do list, I have a weekly Excel template that I print out that categorizes the types of tasks I need to get done. There are sections for calls, emails, proposals, meetings and other miscellaneous tasks. By categorizing my to-do list, I can easily address certain types of tasks. I keep this with me all week, and update as I go.
Find a Routine
One thing that I’ve found to make every day more productive, is to have a set routine that I follow every day. This holds true for the weekends as well. By having a routine, Monday’s will feel a lot more like every other day.
Forget email, make sales calls
While I’m catching up on emails from late Friday and the weekend, the last thing I want is an email from someone trying to sell me something. Sales emails from Monday typically get buried in my inbox, never to be returned. Try making some sales calls on Monday. You’ll find that more people are in their office and at their desk preparing for the week, just like you are.
Forget what day it is
There is a mental aspect to Monday that some people can’t get over. We associate Friday with relief, Saturday and Sunday with fun and Monday with UGH. Forget it’s Monday. Monday is just another 24-hour day, another work day, and another day to be productive and focus on building your company.
So the next time someone in your office says “somebody has a case of the Monday’s,” make it a point to let them know that you didn’t even know what day it was.
