When did Mondays get such a bad rap?  I mean, it’s really no different than Wednesday except that it doesn’t come with a cool nickname like ‘hump day’.  Maybe I should try and start a campaign to give Monday a jazzy nickname.  I don’t know about that, but I’ll noodle on it.  What I do know, is that Monday doesn’t have to be a day you dread.  I mean, how much time have you spent dreading Monday in your life so far?  I want you to reclaim that time and mental exhaustion and, dare I say, make Mondays Great.

While you should definitely recharge and get away from work on the weekends, spending a little bit of time prepping over the weekend could make Monday your favorite day of the week!  Ok, I don’t actually pretend this will happen but hopefully Monday won’t feel any worse than other work days.  I take that as a win.

Start Friday

I know the excitement and anticipation Friday afternoons can bring.  You’ve worked all week and all you want to do is get out and start your weekend.  But, before you do, schedule some time to tackle any uncomfortable or dreaded tasks instead of leaving them until Monday.  It will make you feel a sense of accomplishment and you won’t spend the weekend or, especially Sunday night, agonizing over those open to-dos.  Similarly, if something dreadful pops up over the weekend or if you couldn’t finish your least favorite tasks, do them first thing on Monday.  Check them off your list so they aren’t hanging over your head like a dark cloud for the entire day.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Get to bed at a reasonable time on Sunday night so you can get a good night’s rest.  I promise that Netflix series you’re binging will still be there Monday night.  Waking up exhausted will not set you up for success.  And as much as I love coffee, it’s not a substitute for good sleep.  I know it feels great to turn that alarm clock off on Saturday and Sunday mornings but try and stick to the same sleeping pattern on the weekend as you do during the week.  It will make waking up on Monday morning that much easier.  If you have small kids, this shouldn’t be a problem as they haven’t learned the whole sleeping-in on weekends thing yet.

Have a Good Breakfast

Spend some time Sunday prepping for a good breakfast Monday morning (and the rest of the week while you’re at it).  Throw together some overnight oats to grab on the way to the office.  Or put together smoothie packets that contain fruit, greens, flax seeds, etc. and store in the freezer.  Pull one out in the morning, dump it in the blender with your liquids and you’re ready to go…no ice needed.  Another option is to bake up some egg muffins over the weekend.  Use a muffin tin, chop up any veggies, cheese, and/or meat you like, add it to the tins then top with whisked eggs or egg whites.  After baked, store in the fridge in individual serving packages and grab and heat.  All these options are easy to prepare and great for the whole family.  Whatever you choose, make it yummy and nutritious so you start the week off right.

Jazz up your Monday Commute

No longer are we relegated to listening to the news or your local DJ in the morning on your commute to work.  Instead, find a podcast you love.  Or listen to an audiobook you find interesting.  Try and limit your listening to your commute so you look forward to diving back in after a few days away over the weekend.

Plan Something to Look Forward To

Make plans.  They don’t have to be elaborate but plan to do something you look forward to on Monday.  Maybe it’s your favorite yoga class, maybe it’s lunch with a friend, maybe it’s after work drinks.  There’s no rule saying you can’t go to happy hour on Mondays after all.  It can even be as simple as waiting until Monday evening to watch your favorite show.  Just book or plan for something you look forward to so you’re actually excited about the day.

As you can see, all it takes is a bit of planning and thought to make Monday a day you look forward to.  Build in some excitement around the day and before you know it, Mondays will be great…or at least bearable.

As always, I hope you found this post interesting, informative, inspiring, or entertaining (I’ll take any one as a success).  If so, please let me know in the comments section.  Also let me know if there is anything you’d like to see on this blog by writing me at feedback@theorganizingblonde.com.

XOXO,

The Organizing Blonde