Have you ever started a Monday dreading the coming week because of all of the things you need to accomplish? You start the week feeling overwhelmed and stressed when you haven’t even begun to actually work and by the time you get into the office you’re drained. Does this sound familiar?
It does not need to be that way. We can convert a manic Monday to a motivated Monday by adjusting our attitude and time management strategies.
How do you want to start the week? Try these tips to start the week on a successful note.
- Choose your mindset. If you start the week telling yourself that it is going to be awful, any task or change will likely add to you feeling more awful. Instead, start with a mindset that supports you and builds confidence. Try telling yourself, “there is a lot to do but I can do it and do it well.” By adjusting your mindset you are able to respond more proactively and be more productive.
- Do the most challenging task first. Start your day doing the task that will require the most time and brain power. Avoid starting your day focusing on small tasks that will take up energy and do not produce much value. These tasks will drain your energy making it difficult to focus on larger tasks.
- Make a timeline. First, write down all of the tasks you need to complete. Second, assign each of them with a deadline and estimate how much time it will take to accomplish each task. Third, rank the list by deadline and estimated completion time. When you look at all of your tasks and break them out by time required and the deadline it is easier to prioritize.
- Schedule time to check email. Give yourself 15 minutes to respond to email at the start of the day. Then break out times for work and times to check email. Avoid responding to every email as it comes in as it will distract you and reduce productivity on things that may not have a high return on your time investment.
- Manage your health. Your health will determine how capable you are to manage your time. Try to get at least seven hours of sleep each night to ensure you are rested for each day. In addition, add exercise and a healthy diet. Managing our health will allow us to be more successful no matter what task is in front of us.
- Build in time for tasks that give you energy. If your day is filled with tasks that you dread doing, try incorporating passion projects or activities that you enjoy. Spending time doing what you enjoy will give you more energy to accomplish less desirable tasks.
- Embrace boundaries. Think about where you want to be one year from today. Be selective (if possible) with tasks and say “yes” to tasks that will help you align with where you want to be in the future. Say no to the things that will not support your growth, especially if you already have a lot on your plate.