Wouldn't it be great to start Monday morning feeling like you are ahead instead of like you're playing catch-up? Here are 7 quick tips for mastering Monday morning and getting the week off to a great start.
- Start on Friday: Tie up any loose ends and stray projects that you can.
This way they won't be left-overs on Monday.
And you won't have to think about them over the weekend. - Respond to any unanswered email or voice mail messages:.
Not only will this give you a chance to clear your plate - it will also improve your response time to your co-workers and clients. - Clean out your email: Lighten your mental load by reducing the number of emails you have to scroll through.
Go through all your folders and get rid of anything that's over a year old and any non-work items from friends and family.
Archive messages from old projects. - Clean off your desk: One sure way to intensify Monday morning anxiety is to walk into a pile of papers, a stack of folders, a hodge-podge of post-it notes, pens, paper clips, old coffee cups, and whatever else is covering your desktop.
- Review your calendar: Don't be surprised by meetings you forgot were on the schedule or meetings that overlap.
If there's information you need to be prepared for those meetings, put in a request now instead of leaving it until the next week. - Create a to-do list: Instead of spending the weekend reminding yourself of what you have to do on Monday, and then scrambling Monday morning to remember what you had to do, prepare on Friday.
- Connect with your co-workers: If you've been buried under work all week, make sure to check in with your co-workers.
Don't minimize the importance of showing a genuine interest in people.
It's much easier to ask for help (and get it) when you have good rapport with them.