It’s hard not to hate Mondays. The day marks the end of the fun and freedom of the weekend—and even if you love your job, the angst of having to go back to the grind on Monday can leave you disorganized and spinning your wheels all day.
But while Monday is going to happen whether you like it or not, that lack of productivity doesn’t have to. The key is to adopt a few smart habits on Sunday so you set yourself up for a brighter, more efficient workweek without really cutting into your weekend fun time.
These tips will help you do just that.
Steal an Hour to Get Organized
“Taking no more than an hour out from your Sunday to anticipate the week ahead and get organized will help you free up head space and reduce worry. Check your calendar, email a note to a coworker or yourself and make a to-do list prioritizing tasks you expect to come in first thing in the a.m.
And if you really want a happier Sunday to set you up for Monday, try knocking out annoying chores earlier in the day rather than waiting until the last minute. You know the ones: doing that load of laundry, prepping for next week’s meals or laying out your work clothes so you aren’t tearing through your closet desperately looking for something decent to wear. Tackle them ahead of time, and you can coast through the rest of the weekend.
Fill Your Plate With Healthy Food
Do your feasting on Friday and Saturday, as an indulgent Sunday brunch or dinner can make Monday stress worse. Consuming rich, heavy food and alcohol on Sunday will sink you into a food coma that can leave you lethargic on Monday morning.
Aim for three balanced, delicious meals on Sunday, each containing lean protein and complex carbs to give you steady energy and lots of high-fiber fruits and vegetables to aid digestion and leave you feeling full. Remember to skip the cocktails or brew and fill your glass with plenty of water. Alcohol is dehydrating, and that brings on the mental fog and sluggishness that intensifies stress.
Add Meaning to the Day
No judgment if your preferred way of spending Sunday afternoon is sacked out on the couch binge-watching “Game of Thrones.” But making your Mondays brighter might come down to designating Sunday as the day you do something active that’s personally fulfilling—such as reading or mowing the lawn.
We all have things we have to get done over the weekend, but there’s something to be said for making time for activities that are consistent with your values and connect you to the people you love. Scheduling a yoga session with friends or volunteering in your community, for example, lends meaning to the day and resets your mental and spiritual batteries, so you’ll go into Monday feeling accomplished and inspired
Concentrate on the Positive
A rough commute, crabby coworkers, stale coffee—the start of the workweek can bring on an endless round of small miseries. It can be easy to get in the habit of dreading Monday, anticipating what the morning will bring. Instead, focus on the positive things that can happen when you get back in the office. Maybe you’ll have the opportunity to blow away new clients with fresh ideas or at least get caught up on weekend gossip.
If the problem is that, in general, you’re not loving your work these days, spend some time on Sunday thinking about what could help you enjoy your work more. Try recalling those days when you looked forward to your job and all the hard work it took to move up in your career. For many people, those early days were a high time in their career. “Ask yourself, what’s changed since you had that feeling? What can you do differently now to help you recapture it?”
Set Yourself Up for Quality Sleep
A good night’s rest on Sunday is the best way to dodge the madness of Monday; it helps you handle stress, puts you in a more optimistic, can-do mood and leaves you feeling alert and energized, ready to tackle the start of the week rather than retreat under the covers.
To prep for the shuteye you need on Sunday, try eating healthy, not-heavy meals and finishing your last meal two-and-a-half hours before you plan on turning in so the digestive process is underway,
Other tips include getting in a decent amount of physical activity on Sunday. And make alcohol off-limits before bedtime, as it can lead to fitful sleep.