It is National Heroes Day here in the Philippines so there are no classes and no work. I went to bed early last night because I wasn’t feeling well. Period pains. The struggle is real folks.
Anyway, I’m glad I was able to sleep earlier last night because I ended up waking up early around 5ish and was pretty productive. I posted on my clients social media accounts, I set up an email campaign, responded to work emails, created graphics for my clients, I posted on my personal accounts, I was able to make my morning smoothie and did some reading. Great start to my week.
I find myself really productive on Mondays because I have learned to relax during weekends. I try my best not to do any work on Sundays unless I slack off during the weekdays and I have to catch up on deadlines during the weekend.
I just got out of the shower and it’s still 4:15pm. Work is done, I was able to do a DIY hair treatment, applied a face mask and did some body pampering. I only need to post on one client’s account and I’m done for the day. Such a relaxing Monday.
If you are struggling on getting motivated in the morning, here are some simple ways I found that worked for me and maybe it’s worth a try for you as well.
Ask yourself why you struggle on Mondays
We all have that WHY that is the root of our struggle. For me, I realized that I struggle on Mondays before because I was focusing too much on my work tasks. It can be overwhelming. How did I fix it? I tried monotasking. Monotasking is simply doing one thing at a time. I start off by making a list of what I needed to do on that day. I do this during the previous night so by morning I already know what I need to do. I adjust it on the morning if I receive more tasks or any changes from clients and workmates.
Once I have my list, I start working on it the next day and I work on one task. Jumping from one task to another doesn’t work for me. I end up starting everything on my list and end up not finishing anything. If it’s a huge one like writing a 1000-word article, I usually do 1-2 breaks and work on a small task in between. Once I have taken a break, I start working the huge task again. Having short breaks can work wonders.
Try sleeping earlier than you’re used to
Sometimes, we are not stressed because of our jobs, it might be because we are not getting enough sleep. I don’t usually set up an alarm because I have the luxury of working on my own time which I am very grateful for. But I have found that no matter what time I sleep, I still wake up almost the same time every day. The only difference is that I wake up feeling refreshed if I sleep earlier and I feel groggy if I slept too little.
This week, try sleeping earlier that you’re used to and see the difference. You will be more productive in the morning and if you need to nap, go ahead and nap. I napped this morning around 10am but I have already finished most of my tasks before 7am.
Relax on the weekends
One of the reasons we dread Mondays is because we feel that we haven’t really enjoyed our weekend. We always hear people say that weekend has gone so fast but the truth it, we were so busy doing a lot of things that’s why it felt like the weekend just drifted away in a snap.
Take a break. Especially on Sundays. Spend it with your family. Clean your space. Organize your table. Prepare a nice meal. Chew your food at least 15 times. Take your time. Go out and breathe fresh air for 10 minutes. Listen to a song for an hour. Watch a movie after dinner. Don’t spend all your day scrolling through your different social media apps.
We all have different ways on how we relax. I feel relaxed when I’m reading a book, sipping tea, watching movies or videos, lighting up scented candles, cleaning my room and pampering my self. The idea is to take a break from what you usually do during the weekdays.
Plan your day and week ahead
I set up a reminder on my calendar on Sundays at 5pm to “Plan my week”. What I love to do is write everything on my work journal any important dates and things I need to do during the week. I write my to do list for work on a separate paper, usually on a long post-it notepad, and stick it on my weekly paper calendar.
We get stressed when we miss a deadline or forgot to do an important task. Planning ahead is the secret in getting your game on. You will be more confident to face the day when you already know what you’re going to do.
And when all else fails, do or try something new
Sometimes, motivational quotes just doesn’t cut it. Those inspirational podcasts just don’t seem to sink in. So what should you do? Try something new. Do something new. Always eating breakfast at home? Skip making your own and go to a place you’ve never had breakfast before. Listen to a different genre of music while you’re driving to work. Working from home? Pack up your laptop and go to the cafe. Explore the city you’re in.