The weekend’s almost over. Are you ready for the new week?
I’ve answered “no” to this question way too many times.
After a nice long weekend of relaxation, it’s pretty hard to slip back into work mode. For me, that usually means a lot of wasted time on Monday morning.
But not this week! This week I’ve resolved to start off on the right foot by getting ready for work in advance.
My Weekend To-Do List
To help me be more productive on Monday, I’ve got a list of “getting ready” tasks to accomplish before bed Sunday night. Try them out with me and see if they help you too.
- Clear out my unread email. I often forget to check my email on weekends, so one of my biggest time-wasters when I get into work is checking all the unread emails that have piled up. I’m trying to cut down on this by going through as much of my unread email this weekend as I can. It’s not a particularly difficult task, but it’ll save me at least half an hour on Monday.
- Stay productive on the weekend. When I get too lazy on the weekend, it’s really hard for me to be productive once the weekend’s over. This weekend, I’ve been diligently working on my blog – staying in the groove, so to speak – to keep myself “warmed up” for the week ahead. What can you do this weekend to keep the productive juices flowing?
- Plan out my first 3 tasks for Monday morning. Getting into work Monday morning is a shock to the system. I notice myself zoning out quite a bit those first few hours at work, and I think it’s due to a lack of direction. To combat this, I’ve written down 3 priority tasks for Monday morning in my handy little notebook. If you have a daily planner (a smartphone works too, so no excuses!), why not plan ahead with me?
- Stay away from alcohol. My girlfriend and I like to have some wine after dinner, but I’m wondering if that actually impairs my productivity the next morning. I’m keeping the alcohol to an absolute minimum this weekend – especially right before bed. No alcohol, no hangovers. Pretty simple.
- Get some exercise and fresh air. I have a computer job (and I blog, obviously), so I don’t go outside nearly as much as I should. Especially on the weekends. Lately, all this time indoors has gotten me into a rut. If you’ve spent too much time indoors this weekend, come join me outside for a bit. Whether you walk, jog, or bike, it’s a great way to clear your head and prime those mental batteries.
- Get more than enough sleep. The problem with getting “enough” sleep is that I always misjudge – which usually means I go to bed way too late Sunday night. This weekend, I’m aiming for “more than enough” sleep. I’m looking forward to waking up rested and refreshed Monday morning!
What’s Your Weekend Agenda?
What do you do to get ready for the work week? Have any of these ideas worked for you? Do you have any good suggestions to add? Join the discussion with an insightful comment below!
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My coworkers always tease me for being a workaholic and constantly checking email on my crackberry, even during my weekends. But I find that this simple step makes me just that much more productive than them.
Working in a newsroom, I usually get over 200 emails a day. Constantly checking means I don't go back to work with 500+ emails to go through. It also keeps me informed about the changes and discussions that took place while I was gone. That way, no matter how lazy I feel on my Mondays, I'm still on top of everything.
And the best part is, I don't have hundreds of unread emails constantly clogging up my inbox. Most of my coworkers do, and it's never more obvious than when they express confusion over something already discussed or when they can't find the emails they need.
As much as I hate thinking about work during my weekends, the small act of checking emails really pay off.