A Proven Strategy for Beating a Case of the "Mondays": Add Creative Mondays to Your Schedule

Submitted by Sabina Hitchen on Mon, 2013-11-25 17:30 | 0 Comments

"The Mondays". Best defined as "symptoms of a horrible Monday morning after returning from the weekend, used in the movie Office Space". Fortunately for many of us, due to our chosen paths as entrepreneurs "The Mondays" are something we don't come down with as regularly. That said, I'll be the first to admit that as a small business owner there have been Sundays and Mondays when I look to the work week ahead and I just want to pull the blankets back over my head and avoid them all together. I eventually learned that there was a better way.

No matter what your career path is, it's essential that you keep yourself (mind, body and spirit) in top condition, doing so helps you perform better professionally. When you're a business owner taking care of yourself is even more important because if you're not feeling pumped up mentally or you're not taking care of yourself physically, your whole business will suffer. Though you may respect that rule physically speaking, ask yourself (honestly) if you respect that rule mentally. Do you do what it takes to keep your mind and spirit in their idea condition? You must! As my mom always says, "When Momma Ain't Happy, Ain't NOBODY Happy." So let's make sure you, business momma or you, business Poppa are in happy, prepared and in great mental shape and perhaps even eliminate a portion of the stress you feel as the new work week looms.

Below you'll find the first of my tried, true and tested strategies to preventing case of the Mondays (or "Sundays") from slowing my stride. I'll run a new one each week leading up to the New Year.

On Mondays We Create!

Sometimes it seems as if we're spending so much time "doing" we're not spending enough time creating, hatching ideas, writing about these ideas, and give birth to our best business and success strategies. To me, these are often the most enjoyable parts about being a business owner, yet in the past I'd cram them into all to brief, free moments during my days while being regularly distracted by phone calls or emails. Sometimes, in order to really find time to dig deep and get in my zone to generate awesome ideas, I'd work early in the morning or after "regular work" at night (which would mean other things in my life would have to give). Then I learned the beauty of Creative Mondays. Unless something urgent pops up, I spend my Mondays brainstorming, writing copy for upcoming projects, thinking of strategies that will benefit my business and letting my mind travel where it will professionally speaking.

The difference in mood AND my business productivity has been huge! I'm more prepared for the week ahead, I've created a work habit that leads to successful output and I have actually started to look forward to Mondays. Often I'll even close down my email and silence my phone for periods of time and work distraction free. Ahhhh, it feels so good. Be under no assumption that I don't still put in the early morning or late evening once or twice every week, but this system of working has truly streamlined the way I work and more importantly, make me giddy for Mondays at my desk!

The belief that going, going, going from 9 to 5 will improve productivity is archaic and simply wrong. Some of the best ideas come when you let your brain rest, play or even recover from all the other distractions and action tasks you throw at it all the time.

I encourage you to make time for yourself and for creation at the beginning of your week as well. Here are some examples of what you could be creating on Mondays to get your week rolling...