If you’re anything like Garfield, you hate Mondays. But this day marks the start of the work week and can be essential for setting the right tone and productivity level for your week ahead. And, with only 53 Mondays each year, making the most of each one is incredibly essential if you want to be successful. Here are 5 things you should do to make the most of your Mondays.

1. Maximize Rest on Sunday:

If you’re tired and lethargic on Monday the temptation to slack off and not optimize your time will creep in. Make sure you maximize your rest and relaxation time on Sunday by getting to bed at a reasonable hour, taking part in some self-care activities, and not expending all of your energy. When you rest a little more on Sunday, you’ll have an extra boost of energy to help power you through your Monday and make the most of it!

2. Have a Game Plan Ready:

You should have a game plan ready for your Monday morning, your workday, and your Monday evening before midnight strikes on Sunday. If you have food prepared, bags packed, a plan for your day, a plan for your evening, and a healthy dinner plan you’ll set yourself up for a less stressful, more rewarding Monday. A lot of what people dread about Mondays is a return to the hustle and bustle but, if you have a plan, you’ll feel less rushed and less panicked when Monday rolls around.

3. Don’t Let Others Decide What is Urgent, Decide for Yourself:

Having a schedule and deciding what you need to get done on Monday is a great idea, but, if you let others decide what is urgent for you, your schedule may be thrown out the window which could send your whole week into chaos. If you prioritize what you decide is urgent on Monday, you’ll set yourself up for a productive week where you’ll have plenty of time to get to the extra tasks others want to add to your schedule.

4. Prioritize Wellness:

Go for a walk, head to the gym, pack a healthy lunch, make sure your healthy dinner is either ready and waiting or quick and easy, etc. Each of these tasks have one thing in common: they’re something you do when you’re prioritizing your wellness. Mondays mark the end of the weekend and the start of the new week and, when you’re shifting from relaxation mode to work mode, you may feel like you don’t have the time to stop and take care of yourself. But, interestingly enough, taking the time to exercise or prepare healthy food helps set you up for a more productive week than powering through your work and ignoring your wellness.

5. Get More than Enough Done:

Procrastinators everywhere will tell you that you only need to do the things that are due today. You may streamline your daily and weekly plan to make sure you can get everything done but, on Monday, take it one step further. If you do one extra task each Monday you’ll set yourself up for a week that’s more productive, less rushed, and more effective. That one task will alleviate one of your other days and, when unexpected tasks pop up, you’ll have room in your schedule to get it all done.

Very few people love Mondays. In fact, most people hate them. But, with 53 Mondays each year, it’s a waste not to do these 5 things and make the most of your Mondays.

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