How to Start Your Week With Your Batteries Fully Charged

Most people hate starting their week.

(And thus, Monday gets a bad rap.)

Many come back to work dragging worse than when they left Friday afternoon.

Are you one of those individuals that dreads restarting the work week?

What would it take to start the week fully charged?

Starting on Empty

Do you come back from your weekend needing another weekend to recover?

“How to start the week” is one of the most popular questions that I am asked.

Ironically, much of the “starting the week” stress is self-inflicted.

It is either due to not being prepared or irresponsible behavior over the weekend.

“If you start your week with nothing in your tank…

then it is bound to be a rough start.”

Ever start your day and realize that you forgot to plug-in your phone the night before?

Unfortunately, many people do this with their body.

And then they wonder why Mondays are so tough.

Start Fully Charged

If you want to start your week right, you need to take steps to take care of yourself and your obligations.

Here are 10 Ways to Start the Week with Your Batteries Fully Charged:

  1. Get Enough Rest – Many people claim they need a weekend to recover from the work week. However, when they get there, they end up getting less sleep than during the week. Have the discipline to get the rest you need. If your tank is empty when you walk in the door Monday, it’s going to be a rough week.
  2. Know Where You Are Going – Starting your week without reviewing your calendar is like driving your car with a blindfold, you are going to hit something. Know where you are going before the week starts. Review your calendar in advance.
  3. Know What You Have to Do – Your todo list is just as important. If you are unaware of what you have to do and when it is due, you are setting yourself up for a fall. Look at your list before you leave the house. You just might remind yourself of something you need to be ready for.
  4. A Good Finish, Allows a Good Start – Ever come back to a project that you left in disarray? It’s a mess. Trying to figure out where you were and where everything goes. Make sure you finish the previous week right. Clean up before you leave the office and tie up loose ends. That way, you won’t walk into a mess upon your return.
  5. Do Your Homework – Many people take the weekend “off” as literal. Meaning they don’t do anything to prepare for the next week. However, you have to do your homework. If you have a big presentation, prepare for it. If you have an assignment that is due, finish it. Just because you aren’t in school doesn’t mean you don’t have homework.
  6. Workout – Want to start you week full of energy? Start it with a workout. Some fear that this will wear them out before they get to work. Quite the contrary. It will pump you up. And fill you with confidence.
  7. Start Early – It’s true, the early bird gets the worm. Opportunity favors the early. If you have to pick one day a week to get an early start, Monday would be the day. Arriving at the office before the rush will let you get a head start.
  8. Motivate Yourself – Need some inspiration to start your week? Read something motivational. I keep several of my motivational books, quotes, and even video clips nearby, in case I need that extra push to go out and attack the world.
  9. Start the Work – A great way to start your week fully amped up is to finish something early. Do an important task before the week even wakes up Monday morning. (See #7)
  10. Positive Attitude – Bring your best attitude to the new week. Being positive can overcome many of the week’s obstacles. Your attitude defines your reality more than you think.

Charge Your Batteries

Don’t start your week on empty.

Get the rest. Do the homework. And get motivated.

Start your week fully charged.

Question: Do you start your week fully charged?

12 thoughts on “How to Start Your Week With Your Batteries Fully Charged

  1. I’m starting this week on less than half a tank but thankfully I don’t have to go it alone- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! phil 4:13

  2. Craig,

    You have a lot of really good tips here and I really like this post. There is, however one point you made that I kind of disagree with. In point number five you mentioned that people should be willing to do homework. I believe that although sometimes you may need to do homework, those times should be few and far between. Everybody needs to keep a balanced life and family, church, and self need to have a place in your life as well. If you spend the whole week working and then do homework on the weekend, when will you ever have time for the other things in life. You will end up turning into a workaholic. Overall, I enjoyed the post though. Thanks for taking the time to write a great post!

    1. Brandon, I think we are on the same page.

      I regularly write about the balance between work and life… and setting clear boundaries between the two.

      However, sometimes there is homework to be done… 🙂

      1.  Homework matters. Even if you take a long walk, let your mind roll over problems — it’s amazing how that kind of break kicks loose your problem-solving strategies. Don’t forget to congratulate those wins as you stomp along.

        I use Win 7 and I love the sticky note feature. I keep the loooongest list on my desktop: Things to Do, Potential Clients, Time Card, positive quotes, invoices to issue, invoices received (shortcut for Quickbooks) — at a glance I know what to do on any given day.

  3. Hi Craig,

    Awesome post.  Of course Monday was a great day to post it!  I started this week bright and early for a change, but I started with the wrong project and got it done instead of my primary project.  So now I’m playing a little catchup.

  4. Hi Craig
    Really enjoyed this list.  I personally find that if I sit down on Sunday night and plan out my week on my whiteboard, it always goes a lot smoother and keeps me on track.  On the times I don’t do any planning Sunday night, Monday normally flies by and I don’t get a whole lot done.  That one or two hours of planning at the right time always makes a big difference.
    Cheers
    Thea

  5. Hi Craig. Really useful post. What are some of the motivational items that give you the boost that you need to get going?

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