Start Your Week Off Right!

It's Monday morning. You just had a fun and relaxing weekend - and now it's time to get back to the grind.

It's understandable that most people dread Mondays - after all, the number of people working unfulfilling jobs is staggering! So, it makes sense that most of them have a hard time dragging themselves out of bed when that alarm goes off.

But it's not all bad. In fact, the only way you will get out of working the job you dislike is to face reality and accept that this is your life. You decide how your life unfolds so if you really wanted to change your job or career, you would do it. There would be no excuses and you would realize that the only thing that stands in your way to creating the life you truly want, is you.

I've done my share of working unfulfilling jobs so I feel I can speak at some length about this issue. Some people work jobs that are great for them, others work tolerable jobs, and some work jobs that are downright soul-crushing. Whichever category your situation falls under, you can start your week off right by employing the following techniques:

1. Reflect On Your Weekend
Is is very important to own your leisure time. I've known people that by the end of the week, they are too tired and uninspired to do anything and end up wasting their weekend away. People that do this are often at risk of depression - oversleeping, overeating, not bothering to shower, not leaving the house, etc. - so taking advantage of your days off is imperative. Go out with friends, visit family, go for a drive, hit the mall - whatever you enjoy doing, do it! That way when you get back to the grind on Monday, you will not only feel that your weekend was productive and fun, but you can reminisce about the events that took place and it put you back into that state of feeling positive and happy.

2. Decide What You Want To Accomplish This Week
Most people don't set goals. If you were to ask 10 people what their goals for the week are, less than 50% of them would know how to answer. It is important to set goals. They give you something to strive for - something to work toward. If your goal is to clean up your basement by Friday, you now have started a cycle in your mind that needs to be completed. If you don't complete the cycle, it will pop up again and again, clouding and confusing your thinking. So figure out at least 1 main goal you want to accomplish by Friday, write it down, break down the steps you need to take to complete the goal, and do those steps!

3. Be Grateful For Where You Are
Going to work after a weekend of doing whatever you want can be depressing. It's the idea that you don't have freedom anymore, and you life is now being directed by someone else and the money they are paying you for your time. This is where a lot of people get it wrong. Look around you and count all the blessings you have been given because things could be MUCH worse. Start off your week with an attitude of gratitude for the food you eat, the clothes you wear, the bed you woke up in, and the fact that you are making money in these tough economic times. Your gratitude will serve you well.

4. Wake Up Alert
"Don't talk to me until I've had my coffee." I can't even count the number of people I have met during my life that rely on coffee to get their day started. I find it fascinating because I can't stand the taste of coffee. Relying on a stimulant like caffeine to wake you up is a pretty good indicator that you need to make some adjustments in your thought patterns and your sleep patterns. Our bodies were designed to work perfectly - so why should we be relying on stimulants to wake us up, and sedatives like Ambien to help us fall asleep? Figuring out a proper schedule and adhering to it will be tremendously beneficial to you. When you wake up alert you will look forward to the day ahead and your mind won't be bogged down by feelings of lethargy.

5. Get Some Exercise
This is probably the hardest thing for people to do because exercise brings up an array of negative - yes, negative - connotations. The idea that exercise is a lot of work, or it takes too long to see tangible results, or that it requires massive amounts of energy is all in what you think about exercise. Of course athletes and models have those rock-hard bodies through extreme diet and exercise, but you can see immediate changes in your mood, blood pressure, and stress levels just by taking a walk around the block. Often, focusing on the long-term results of exercise can be exhausting because real change is gradual. But if you focus on just exercising regularly, you will be putting your body and mind in the proper state to ensure you are operating at peak efficiency.