Introducing: The Monday Morning Move

Let’s face it. Mondays can be hard, especially for twenty-sixers who tend to pack way too much into the weekend and forgo proper rest. But the truth of the matter is, Monday sets the tone for the days that follow. Start off on the wrong foot, and your entire week may be thrown. Confession – my Mondays have been a mess lately. Because I have a hard time “unplugging” on the weekends, I typically spend Monday feeling overtired, unfocused, and downright overwhelmed. This then leads to a drop in productivity, and I end up feeling behind for the rest of the week. It is a vicious cycle that has snowballed into missed workouts, pushed deadlines, and stalled projects.  Time to do better!

With that being said, I have instituted “The Monday Morning Move.” Simply put, the MMM is something that I MUST get done on Monday. It is designed to put my week in positive motion. Just like my negative habits have had a significant effect on the other 6 days, I believe positive changes can do the same. The MMM really starts on Sunday because it requires some planning. For me, I knew that if I wanted to successfully accomplish my first MMM, I had to tackle one of my worst habits – going to bed at an obscene hour on Sunday night. I was determined to get to bed on time. I was up by 6:00 AM Sunday morning, halfway through my to-do list by noon, prepped for Monday by 8:30 PM and in bed by 10:00 PM.

My plan was to sleep a full 8 hours, but my body had other ideas. By 2:30 AM, I was WIDE awake. I tried to will myself back to sleep, but it didn’t really work out that way. By 5:00 AM, I gave up and got out of bed. I was definitely frustrated, but I had to acknowledge that I was trying to take my body through a major change in one night. Clearly, it’s going to take  some time to retrain myself. I will admit, I have horrible sleeping patterns. I stay up way too late and get up way too early…which basically means I’m always exhausted. My sleep methods generally fall into two categories: “too little” and “crash and burn after days of too little.” The. Absolute. Worst. In any event, I had to shake off my failed attempt at a full night’s rest and press on. My MMM consisted of a few tasks:

1. 15-minute meditation

2. Work out

3. Clear old emails that I’ve been avoiding

4. Start one legal document that I’ve been putting off

*If spirituality isn’t your thing, you may be rolling your eyes at the first task. I’m not here to shove it down your throat, but trust me, it has its benefits. 

I’m happy to report that I have successfully completed my first MMM! Now, did it all go perfectly? Absolutely not. I spent 20 unplanned minutes looking for my iPod pre-workout. Then, I felt like I was going to die midway through the actual workout (repeats to self: Falling off the wagon is never worth it. Falling off the wagon is never worth it…). And to be perfectly honest, as I write this post, I’m not physically at 100% (hello, headache!). But, emotionally and psychologically, I feel GREAT. Why? because I got it done!

Now, I’m encouraging you to do the same. Try out your own Monday Morning Move. Please don’t try to rewire your entire existence in one day. Take baby steps. You can pick one task, no matter how small. As long as it makes you feel accomplished and points your week in the right direction, mission complete. For some, productivity may not be the issue. I know plenty of really disciplined, hardworking people who are still negatively affected by Mondays. Inspiration may be all you need to get you on the right track. If that’s the case, listen to good music, read positive quotes, or maybe call a supportive friend. Whatever it is, Find the MMM that works for YOU. Lastly, don’t worry if you don’t get it done this morning. As long as you do it today, it’s fair game.

Let me know how it goes! Post your MMM in the comments section. FYI – we’ll be doing this every week. Join the fun, make your move, and get on the path to being extraordinary.