5 Quick and Easy Ways to Hack Your Work Week

photo credit: Sarah Derweiler

Sure, it's Sunday night and the work week ahead doesn't look appealing. But we want to give you a case of the Mon-yays with a few easy hacks that will start your week off right. 

They're simple, take virtually no time to implement and allow you to get right back to your regularly scheduled evening. 

1. SET YOUR ALARM WITH AN AFFIRMATION

It's easy to moan, groan, and snooze when your alarm goes off Monday AM. After a lazy weekend of sleeping in and waffles at noon, a 7am wakeup call can feel, well, like torture. But you need to head into your week with a positive outlook-- that's the first step to positive outcomes. So, set your alarm to go off with an affirmation. Something that makes you excited to start the day. It's super easy, especially with an iPhone. Instead of keeping the "Label" as "Alarm," fill in a positive saying that gets you rolling out of the right side of the bed. 

That's what we call #mondaymotivation. 

2. LOG OUT OF YOUR PERSONAL INSTAGRAM BEFORE YOU GO TO SLEEP 

The endless Instagram scroll is a hard habit to break, but adding a second barrier between you and the social media time suck might be the pause button you need to not waste time on Monday.

We all do it. Especially when we're supposed to be getting back on our grind. But try something different and start this week not lost in the IG black hole. It's hard to pick up the momentum lost.  

You can log back in Monday night. We promise, you won't have missed anything massive.

3.  DON'T COMPLAIN ABOUT MONDAY

The energy you put out is the energy you get back. If you want to have a bad work week, go ahead, complain. We suggest that instead, you jot down a quick list of items you're looking FORWARD to attacking this week. Not all tasks are fun, but pay attention to the ones you feel connected to, and train your focus there. When we accomplish items we are emotionally connected to it gives us the fuel we need to make it through tasks that are mundane or daunting. 

4. MEAL PLAN YOUR WEEK 

It's all too easy to fall into the weekly rut of waiting to eat until the last moment possible. But just as sleep is crucial to productivity, so is food. Without brainfood, you've got brain mush. If you're used to Postmating your meal at the last minute, this is for you. Spend 15 minutes planning out what you want to eat for lunch this week. Reports show that only 1 in 5 workers are taking adequate lunch breaks, but it's not making us better workers.

The way you spend your lunch break affects how productive you are for the rest of the day. When you're eating, do nothing but eat. Multi-tasking when you're supposed to be refueling is the wrong way to go about it. 

5. TRY GOING COLD TURKEY

If you find yourself easily distracted by the internet and all its wiles, you're hardly alone. But there is a difference between checking something for work and checking out entirely. If your concentration level on Monday falls between zero and zero plus, consider using Cold Turkey. It’s a website that temporarily blocks you from going to sites that are distractions and is highly customizable to your needs. 

Have other hacks? Share in the comments below and give everyone a shot a wonderful work week. 

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