How to Manage Your Mondays (And Avoid the Sunday Blues in 10 Easy Steps) | Giftie Etcetera: How to Manage Your Mondays (And Avoid the Sunday Blues in 10 Easy Steps)

Monday, August 3, 2015

How to Manage Your Mondays (And Avoid the Sunday Blues in 10 Easy Steps)

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Got a case of the Mondays?

I suffer from this debilitating malady most weeks. There is no cure.

(As Sheldon would say, that's a lie. You could win the lottery, quit your job, and move to a nice island somewhere with lots of people attending to your every need. That would cure you!)

Since I am unlikely to win the lottery, I had to find an effective treatment instead. 


Being miserable every Sunday - dreading Monday's inevitable arrival - was not working for me.

I found a solution in the form of a Monday Morning Plan.



planner, Monday, time management, productivity



How to Make a Monday Morning Plan

1. Get comfortable.

Grab you planner or notebook, a cup of coffee, and your favorite pen. You are probably making this plan on a Sunday night, so make it a pleasant experience.


2. Face the blank page.

I use daily planner page (just cut out of a cheap bound daily and hole punch) for my daily docket, but you can use a blank sheet of paper, graph paper, or lined paper. You can use a notebook or a planner. The important part here is that you have one page dedicated to your daily plan.

I put mine right inside my weekly spread.


3. Copy appointments from your calendar to your daily docket.

Notice that I do a slash (/) when I've copied the appointments from the monthly calendar spread and a X once the day actually passes.

4. Add tasks that you must do and tasks that you should do.

I use two different lists. 

Here's an inside look at the details of my plan!


5. Make a list of what needs to leave the house with you.

I call it my prep list.

6. Plan a menu.

If you have a weekly menu plan, just jot it from there.

7. Set out clothes and bags for tomorrow.

I use an errands tote for errand days, work tote, and my purse. If I am working out, I might set out extra.

8. Do any last minute items that will make tomorrow go smoother.

Tonight, for example, I prepped tomorrow's lunch and tucked it into the fridge.

9. Open your plan on the counter near your handbag.

I call this area my Launch Zone. My purse, totes, and planner wait here for the morning rush. I also put out my water bottle and my coffee cup. Never forget your coffee!

10. Relax.

Read a book. Watch some Netflix. Drink some cocoa or hot tea.

Do whatever will get your mind off of going in to the office tomorrow!

Bookmark these 10 steps and start using them every night. It will rock your world - even on Mondays.


Etcetera.


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6 comments:

Mary Wimbley said...

I should have read this Sunday night! lol

I'm actually on semester break right now, but I'd like to maintain my daily schedule as if I were working. School starts back next week, so I need to stay in the habit of getting up early in order to get my son off to school, then myself to work when the break is over.

Yesterday, I failed at that miserably, and I really felt it! I went back to bed when I normally would have stayed up. As a result, I was sluggish all day. Too much sleep is just as bad as not enough! I really wish I'd stuck to my plan. (At least I did manage to force myself to go to Zumba, and I'm glad I did. My body hated it, but I'm sure it'll thank me later. :) )

This morning, I fought the urge to crawl back into bed, and although I'm tired as usual, I do feel better than I did yesterday. Wish me luck with keeping myself on track!

I saved this one to Pocket and will definitely be referring to it from here on out, especially when I start getting my kid up in the mornings for school. Thanks! :)

Anna said...

Definitely bookmarking this one. Most of this I do on a semi-consisitent basis, but I'm about to be in a 6 month (or longer) traveling/transitioning stage with several international moves, so I need to take the organization up a notch to keep myself & the whole family on track. Point #10 is so good. As things get busy, I get stressed, and I'm needing to schedule myself time to read and watch some TV to relax. It's in my planner in the right spots!

WellPlannedLife said...

Someone once mentioned to me about how the sound of the 60 Minutes clock ticking away the rest of Sunday means the weekend is over. I've never forgotten that, and though I don't watch 60 Minutes, I always think of it on Sunday nights. Like you, I do as much as I can for the following day the night before -- pick out my clothes, make my lunch, switch from my weekend to workweek bag, etc. Planning ahead in this way makes for a much smoother morning, and a easier transition from the weekend to the week.

Alexandra said...

I really need to start doing numbers 7 and 8. I always start the semester strong (I teach, so I only have 32 Mondays to contend with!), but by week four I'm usually crashing and burning every Sunday night. I love the prep-ahead ideas.

Alayna's Creations said...

Great list! I am probably one of the few people in the world that love Mondays. Interestingly though, a lot of these are similar to what I do first thing Monday morning to get myself all squared away to tackle the day, and the week.
Thanks for sharing with us at the #HomeMattersParty

Michelle James said...

These are all great tips. I do really good and get uber organized for a while then something happens and it all goes to he** in a hand basket. LOL! I need to get back in the swing of things. Although going to work isn't that bad I really like my job but the business of things before and after are tough! Thanks!

Also, thank you for sharing this post at #HomeMattersParty it is fun to see the talent that rolls in each week. I am hoping you will link up again with us next week!