Monday morning essentials

Hi, how was your weekend? Looking forward to the week ahead?  Hmmmmm, guys, you need to work on that.

 

My last post outlined the Friday afternoon routine that sets me up for an enjoyable weekend. Here’s the Monday morning routine that sets up the week ahead.

Just 3 things:

1.   Overview of existing commitments.

2.   What important things do I want to achieve this week?

3.   Where’s the fun?

 

1. Overview of existing commitments

This is very simple, and only takes a few minutes – check the calendar and see what is already in. Do I need to prepare for anything – read notes, prepare reports, confirm details? If so, I schedule in time for this.

 

2. What important things do I want to achieve this week?

This one can take more time. I look at my goals (work and personal), and decide what actions I will take this week to move closer to achieving them. This is much easier when I am working with a coach, as I am at present. We have defined the actions I will taking to achieve four important goals – one of which is posting to this blog twice a week. (On track with that one so far!) It is vital that these actions are achievable – a bit of a stretch, but a manageable stretch. I want to be able to ‘win the game’ this week. 

These actions are the most important things, but probably not urgent – the ‘big rocks’ that are put in first. (See Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – it is a great starting point for using your time and attention more effectively). All other activities will fit around these important ones – phone calls, emails, filing, etc.

 

3. Where’s the fun?

You can do important work and have fun at the same time.  The field of positive psychology has produced many studies that show that good humour, fun and enjoyment offer benefits in many aspects of our lives, including health, creative thinking and altruism. (I’ll talk about some of these studies another time.)

So my final ‘Monday morning essential’ is to find the fun in the week ahead. Two main areas here – attitude and actions. Try to approach all things with a positive, ‘find the fun’ attitude (no, I’m not perfect, but doing okay with this). It’s also vital to schedule in things that are pure enjoyment – time with a friend over a glass of wine, good chocolate, uninterrupted time to follow rabbit trails on the internet (my personal indulgence of choice). Be creative. HAVE FUN.

 

These three things set me up for a good week. Of course, the unexpected happens (often), but that is easier to manage when a basic structure is there.

This is very simple. Do it regularly, and it makes a huge difference to your life.