Monday mornings can feel like a slap in the face, a rude awakening that you have another 40 plus hours of working ahead of you. This is called the “Monday blues,” and it happens to people who are dissatisfied with their jobs and feel underappreciated at work.
However, for others, Mondays can be invigorating. They are a chance for these individuals to start fresh, take on new responsibilities, and complete those crucial tasks on their to-do lists.
For many entrepreneurs, startup owners, and people who enjoy their work, the latter is true. Monday means that it’s time for finding new opportunities and taking their businesses to the next level. Before they get bombarded with emails on Tuesday and throughout the week, they can take the time to organize their thoughts and figure out where they want to be by Friday.
“The start of the week is when my team and I review our goals, see where we are performance-wise, and figure out the key strategies it’ll take to hit our membership goals,” says Eddie Geller, CEO and co-founder of TinyBeans, which is based out of WeWork Bryant Park. “It’s an exciting time for the company.”
Since his company’s biggest customer base is in Australia, Mark Phillip, CEO and founder of Are You Watching This?! in Austin’s WeWork Congress, starts his week on Sunday nights. He uses the time to catch up on sports, which his company focuses on, and search for a great game moment from the weekend. Then, on Monday mornings, he’ll figure out what he’s doing the rest of the week.
“I make sure the tech is working well,” says Phillip. “I plan out who I’m going to email, make sure all my ducks are in a row, and settle in. It’s a planning day.”
Scott Weiner, founder of the WeWork Chelsea-based startup ClosingBell, spends his Mondays contemplating and preparing as well. “I like to think about the progress I plan to make and the interesting things I’d like to build,” he says.
For some, Sundays can be a time of anxiety because it’s when you start thinking about your week ahead. But entrepreneurs and employees who are excited about work use it to do some hardcore relaxing and refresh before things kick into high gear once again.
“My last hurrah is generally a Sunday brunch,” says Phillip. “I also have a favorite cocktail that gets me ready: a bourbon and ginger ale. That’s my wind down from the weekend.”
Aliza Kellerman, manager of content strategy at WiseBanyan in New York City, will take the time to make a great home dinner. “It’ll be something that’s home cooked, but feels like I’m out at a restaurant,” she says.
She’ll also read an article or two related to what her company does, which is free financial advising, and continue that when she gets to work on Monday morning. “I’ll read, read, read. And set social media up for the day. Then I’ll write, write, write. Then the whole team meets and talks about what we’re up to that week. Then, back to the good old-fashioned combo of read, write, learn, repeat.”
Weiner, like Kellerman, gets a head start on his workweek by going through his messages and schedule on Sunday and following up on Monday. “On Sunday nights, I like to answer all the remaining emails in my inbox from the week prior, double-check my calendar, plan the development work for the week ahead, and make a note of the people I should be contacting on Monday,” he says.
If you’re facing the Monday blues, remember to do what entrepreneurs, startup owners, and employees who love their jobs do: Make Sundays special, do some prep work to get back into the spirit, plan out your week, and make a to-do list. If you’re setting yourself up for goals that’ll make you feel accomplished, you’ll be much more pumped to get back into the office. And your productivity will soar.