Top 10 Things You Can Do to Make Monday a Little Less "Monday..."

Credit // pixabay

We all know Monday isn't exactly the 'favorite' as far as days of the week are concerned. It's the start to the work week, we're all coming down from the weekend high, and the last thing we want to do is wake up bright and early Monday morning and head to our 9-5's. 

I'm sure most of you share the same love-hate relationship I have with Sundays. You have your morning coffee (or mimosa if you're feeling extra fancy), spend a questionable amount of time lounging in your PJ's, catch up on reality TV, and if you're adventurous enough you may just put on normal clothes to run some errands...

...and then around 7 PM a wave of panic takes over your body as you realize you have just a couple short hours left of the weekend. Monday is looming before us and you shudder at the thought of setting your alarm for the morning. 

OK so maybe I am being a bit dramatic, but in all honesty, if I don't check a few things off my list Sunday evening (and first thing when I wake up the next day), I am a total spaz Monday morning and that is NOT how I like to start my week. So, if you want to make your transition from weekend to work week a little smoother, here's what you can do:

1. Take a Bath (or a hot shower). There is nothing that a hot bath or shower can't cure. I always sleep better when I feel squeaky clean. I also like to wash and dry my hair the night before so I don't have to deal with it in the morning. 

2. Meal Prep. I prep breakfast and lunch five days a week these days and let me tell you -- it makes all the difference. I pack up my lunch the night before, put it in the fridge, and I'm good to go. I set my blender bottle on the counter by my protein powder and I'm all set for my morning protein shake. 

3. Program the Coffee Pot. Good Lord is this a huge time saver. It's like magic. You walk downstairs and your coffee is already there...waiting for you...


4. Unwind With Your Favorite Alcoholic Beverage. I prefer wine. But you may choose a nonalcoholic beverage such as decaffeinated tea. Whatever floats your boat. If you choose tea I recommend chamomile or anything that has the word "sleepy time" in it.

5. Do Some Yoga. If you choose to forgo the alcoholic beverage, pairing your tea with some yoga can be a great way to unwind, relax, and get your mind ready for Monday. Some of my favorite YouTube Yogis are Sarah Beth Yoga and Yoga by Candace. You can't go wrong with either one. There are also a handful of Yoga poses that you can do to help you prepare for a restful night of sleep.

6. Know What You're Wearing. I do this in two ways. I will physically lay out my clothes the night before so all I have to do when I get out of the shower is grab and go. *OR* in order to help myself fall asleep (try it, it works), I will think about what I am going to wear the next morning. I like this trick because it require little work on my part and it helps me fall asleep.

7. Pack it Up. My work bag, my purse, my lunch. It's all packed the night before. Sometimes I even get super ambitious and put it all in the car. Makes a world of difference. 

8. Get Plenty of Sleep. Self-explanatory. No one wants to wake up sleep-deprived on Monday morning.

9. Practice Good Sleep Hygiene. This goes hand-in-hand with getting plenty of sleep. In the past I had a habit of falling asleep with the TV on. I just recently got into the routine of turning the TV before off I went to bed, or at least setting a sleep timer. It's amazing what total darkness and silence does to the quality of your sleep. This includes putting the phone/iPad/tablet/laptop/robot away or at least on silent. I try not to check e-mail or social media after I crawl into my fortress of comfort. When there are no distractions you sleep better.  Plain and simple. This even includes sleeping in a clean, comfortable environment. I don't know about you but when my room is spotless I sleep much better. 

10. Exercise. I know, I know. If you plan to exercise in the morning that most likely means you will have to wake up earlier and that sucks; but let me tell you, even just 20 minutes of light cardio or yoga in the morning gives you a crazy boost of energy Monday morning that you might not have if you choose to hit the snooze button. Trust me. Give it a try.

11. Eat a Breakfast Full of Protein. It's true. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I never used to eat breakfast in the morning and wondered why I felt so crappy. I was never into eating breakfast super early in the morning but I learned to love protein shakes, breakfast smoothies, protein bars, and oatmeal. I don't eat as soon as I wake up; I will either eat right before I leave, have a protein shake in the car, or eat as soon as I get to work. Either way, work a protein-filled breakfast into your routine and you will thank me later. 

12. Drink Water. Right Away. Drinking a full glass of water will not only give you a jump start on the necessary amount of water you should consume for the day, but it will provide you with a dose of hydration and energy. Cheers, friends. 

Okay so that was more than 10, but you get the idea. There are so many little things you can do the night before and first thing Monday morning to make that difficult, dreaded transition much smoother. Just because this post is tailored to Mondays doesn't mean it can't be utilized every other day of the week. For a (hopefully) smooth work week, apply numbers 1-12 to each day of the and before you know it, you'll be sailing through to the weekend! :)

xoxo