3 Tips to Get You Motivated for Mondays

The Leadership Blitz
November 2nd, 2009

Getting out of bed on Monday morning can present the most daunting of tasks. You're coming off two days of rest, relaxation, time with friends and family, and, if you're like me, lots of football in the fall and winter and golf in the summer. :)

The movie "Office Space" starts out with a series of events many of us are all too familiar with. If you've seen the movie, you know everything about the "Case of the Mondays" epidemic. I love this movie because A) it's hilarious, B) anyone who's ever had a job can relate to it, and C) it represents a world I've done everything to avoid by embracing free enterprise.

But Mondays can be brutal, no matter whether you run a business from home or work in an office setting. The coffee just doesn't taste as good, the task list seems never-ending, and the Monday morning meeting seems pointless and arbitrary. I remember a job I used to have where Mondays were so chaotic, I usually wasted Sunday evenings dreading what I was going to walk into.

Regardless of the 'Manic Monday' plague, the day of the week beginning with 'M' is going to inevitably come. Every seventh day. Just like clockwork.

So instead of damning the day and developing your own 'Case of the Mondays,' here's three tips that can brighten your Monday and get your week off to a more productive start:

1) Get up 1/2 hour to an hour earlier and exercise - Rolling into Monday, our minds are usually filled, sometimes cluttered and/or jumbled, with memories of the weekend. But, despite the great memories that were created, they're the past. It's time to move forward. And there's no better way to get your mind back in focus than to start your day with a quick workout. This boosts your energy and stamina, thus helping you think more clearly and making Monday just another day and not one you dread. A simple jog or some cardio work at home will do wonders for your production.

2) Plan your day for all of the unexpected occurences that Monday brings - If you're familiar with my practices, you know I'm a strong advocate of being prepared for your day. I've recommended mapping out your next day in advance several times, thus giving you a plan of attack when your day starts instead of wasting time trying to figure out what needs done. In regards to Monday, I'm sure you don't need me to tell you they never go as planned. Customer requests, complaints, an inbox jammed with emails from the weekend, server updates, an EXTRA meeting in the morning or afternoon, you name it. So when you map out your Monday, be sure to allot some extra time for the unexpected. This can be done by removing a task thats importance does not rank at the top of your priority list. If your Monday ends up being free of the unexpected, add the task you removed back to your list and get it done!

3) Lose the Negative Attitude! - Guess what? It's Monday, and there's nothing you can do about it! Everyone around you is in the same boat. So why walk around with a frown and answer "It's Monday, grrr" to everyone who asks you how you're doing? It won't change anything. Instead, implement Steps 1 and 2, leave the negative attitude with the doorman, and start your Monday with a smile! You'll be surprised how infectious your positive attitude can be, thus boosting the creativity and production of everyone around you, as well as yourself.

Sure, the weekend was fun. But it's over. So getting the new week off to a great start will begin to pave the road for solid results, thus making your next weekend just as, or even more, enjoyable as the one before it.

OK, it's time to wrap up. It's Monday...I'm sure you have a lot to do! :)


Be the Best,

Jason Cercone
Internet Marketing and Home Business Consultant
jason.cercone@gmail.com
412-965-8428

http://www.homebizsuccessfactor.com/