Five Tips to Have a Productive Monday Morning at Work. If you have the right tactics and tools, getting up in the morning doesn’t have be a nightmare. Source: Pexels Having a routine helps to reduce Monday blues and set the tone for a productive week. Here are some tips to make Monday stress-free at work 1. Do not check your emails first. Don’t look at your email until Monday morning. You can put off any urgent messages that may be lingering in your inbox until you have established priorities for the week. Spend 5 minutes planning your day and your week. Picking 1-3 must-dos each day is a great way to start the week. This outline can be filled in and used to guide your priorities throughout the week. This outline helps you to focus and creates a foundation for your brain. You will only need to complete 1-3 tasks. You will also be able to see what additional responsibilities you can add to your week. Email can be like Pandora’s Box. It can distract you from the bigger picture and most important responsibilities. 2. You deserve some time to yourself before you rush into answering emails and scheduling meetings. A few minutes a week can be enough to create calm and momentum in your week. It doesn’t matter what activity you choose, but how you think about taking care of yourself is just as important. You have several options:

Meditate
Journal
Watch or read inspirational content
Exercise

When you first start to make time for yourself, be aware of the emotions that may arise. Although it might seem wasteful or incongruous at first, you will notice how Mondays go after a month of sticking with this routine. You’ll find that the 15 minutes you spend on this exercise are worthwhile. 3. Schedule Time for “Deep Work” It’s similar to avoiding email, but it’s important that you set aside Monday morning time to do “deep work”. While you don’t need to do the deepwork immediately, it is important to take a look at your calendar to block off the time. Plan to complete the most important work during this time. If you have a shared calendar with a team member or an assistant administrative, mark the time in your area. You should ask that you do not have any meetings, phone calls, or distractions during this time. This will not only improve your productivity but also makes it easier to get up on Monday morning. This will allow you to concentrate on other tasks and frees up time for the big, important project. Mental overwhelm is the biggest challenge Mondays face, so any way you can ease that burden is a benefit. 4. Eliminate Unnecessary Tasks Is your to-do list a mile long? We’ve all been there. It’s a great way to get started Monday morning by reviewing your list and identifying what you can remove. Is it possible to delegate some items? It can help everyone feel lighter by distributing tasks among a team. Perhaps there’s something you don’t like doing or aren’t good at. Is it possible to outsource the task to a third-party? You can quickly offset the cost by your own increased productivity. Are there activities that are not essential to your goals? Take them out and focus on the essentials. Take a look at the items that are still at the bottom of your weekly list. They may be weighing you down. Do they have to happen? They probably don’t. Accept this fact and move on to your true goals. 5. Organise Your Workspace. A chaotic or dysfunctional work space can hinder your productivity. Preparation on Friday is key to a great Monday. Clean up your workspace before you leave on Friday. It will be so much easier to go to work in a clean space on Monday morning. Even the most productive people can be greatly hindered by a slow computer. Your computer’s software, cookies, etc., are all part of your daily routine.