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Best Practices to Make Monday – and the Rest of the Week – Productive

Monday frowns can be turned upside down with a few simple tips to focus the start of the work week.

Mondays are a big day for anyone in the working world. Getting a good start on your first day of the work week (whether it’ Monday or any of the others that end in “–day”) can set the tone for your productivity, attitude, and efficacy.

While many of us struggle to get started, there are a few things anyone can do to make sure they launch the week in a great way. Here are some best practices to make Monday – and the rest of the week – productive.

Plan For the Day Ahead With Some Alone Time

Part of the Sunday-night anxiety phenomenon can be attributed to the frenzy of work that hits on Monday mornings or is leftover in your inbox (virtual or actual) from the previous week. Consider starting the week not by poring through emails but by spending some quiet time alone. Over coffee, early Monday is a good time to reflect on your goals and consider what you’ll do to achieve them in the week ahead.

Organize the Day and the Week

The beginnings and ends of the day are ideal times to plot out the day or week ahead. Organization does not happen on its own but is instead the product of a disciplined approach to self-planning. Making sure your calendar and priorities are straight is a smart way to start the day.

Check the News

Whether it’s mainstream media or profession- or job-specific journals and articles, the beginning of the week is a good time to get caught up on the big issues facing your community, country, world, company, and industry. Many news sources also provide email digests that anticipate the week ahead. Your business leadership will be enhanced with a clear understanding of current issues and how they impact your work.

Anticipate Obstacles and Gather Allies

Every project, task, and relationship has its own complexities. Spend some time at the beginning of the week to consider these challenges and develop solutions you can deploy to stave them off or deal with them if they arise.

Few of those challenges need to be dealt with alone. Spend some time to connect with allies and advocates who can help you find those solutions and help you be successful during the week. Schedule appointments with key contacts early in the week to make sure you can align support as quickly as possible.

Schedule Technology

If you spend the weekends turned off from work (and good for you if you do!), Mondays are a smart time to devote extra time to responding to emails, crafting emails, and replying to and placing phone calls that are necessary for a productive week ahead.

Be Selfish

Your business strategy is no good if you’re not well. Mondays are a good time to make sure your healthy habits are on track, whether it’s exercise, mindfulness and meditation, or healthy eating. Working out before work and starting with a healthy breakfast will have you feeling much better all day long.

With a focus on a few small adjustments, professionals can get their Mondays off to a momentous start.