Make Mondays Matter

There are many ways to view the upcoming workweek. They can range from joyful delight to utter dread. It is a matter of attitude. The work situation is not going to change. Only you, the person in the situation can change your thoughts and actions. It is much easier to blame people, places, and situations around you for your misery, but it’s not going to help anything.

How can we make Mondays matter? Here are a few ideas to help us take ownership over our Mondays for a better work attitude.

Dress for Success: Wear a professional outfit that feels good (and meets your office policy). If you are required to wear a uniform, wear an accessory or something underneath that is meaningful to you. Dressing with confidence helps us feel good about what we do.

Map out a plan: In the first hour of the day, take time for yourself to write down ideas of tasks you want to accomplish. Write freely, don’t edit your thoughts. Then, write down a few things that you need to do to accomplish those tasks. Be realistic with your timeline. They don’t all have to be accomplished in a few days. Try this on Monday, or mid-week refresher, or even Friday afternoon for the next week.

Set a value goal, then make a note of how it was accomplished: It is easy to create a long to-do list and feel accomplished when they are completed, or possibly discouraged when left undone. Instead of a task-to-do list, write down one value or ‘soft’ skill you want to accomplish. For example, collaboration. Let the idea of collaboration guide your day. Think about how you’d like to collaborate with others. At the end of the day write down some of the actions you took, and identify how they relate to collaboration. If you can’t think of any ways that you collaborated, write down a few ideas on how you can collaborate with others the next day. Feel free to ask a trusted co-worker or mentor ways you can collaborate with others if this is a skill you want to develop.

Mondays can be hard after coming off a fun or restful weekend. They don’t have to be.  Make Mondays matter, taking ownership of your day.

Good Practice:
1. Dress for Success
2. Map out a Plan
3. Set a Value Goal