Coffee. Lots of Coffee.

The first Monday back at work in the new year is the toughest Monday of all Mondays. After some holidays and free time it’s hard to get back in the swing of things. Emails to go through, messages to get back to, and that big pile of mail to sort just isn’t very appealing. All the while, the phone is ringing off the hook and you can’t actually finish anything as you keep starting more important tasks that crop up by the minute.

Have a seat. Take a few big deep breaths and let’s sort this crazy Monday out!

Here’s a list of things to try

Shut the door, put headphones in, anything to help you focus in on your tasks – not your co-workers. This doesn’t mean shut your team out, this means focus. Focus on your job, your tasks, and figure out what you need to do to get back into it all. You will be more helpful to your team or co-workers if you get a handle on everything you need done and take your Monday stress levels down a notch.
Make a list. Seems simple, and it is, but when you have a seemingly endless list of things to do you may not know where to start. By making a list you are writing down everything you need to work on and hopefully eliminating your mind going overboard on how exactly you will get to it all.
Prioritizing the list. Now that everything is jotted down you can figure out a priority sequence. You see whats needed and you know which items will take more time and which ones need to be completed first.
Now get started. Another no-brainer but harder than it seems. Start going through that list and focus on one thing at a time. That will be the easiest way to get through it and hopefully allow you to finish quicker then working on multiple things simultaneously.
Take a lunch break. This is definitely the Monday where we tend to skip it. Don’t. Take the break. Grab a bit to eat, go to the gym. Do something to help you relax for that quick 30 minutes or hour. You will be much more productive when you return.
Leave on time. Yes I know your list isn’t complete. Tuesday is just a few hours away and since you prioritized that list, chances are all those pressing items have been completed. This is the day to leave on time because you need a break and there are four more working days left.

Now lets go try this out. Don’t let this Monday get the better of you. Happy New Years Everyone!