Mondays, the start of the work week, seem to be universally despised. Is a heavy inbox weighing you down? Are you feeling those Monday blues? These simple tips will help you win back back your Mondays.

Start by Prioritizing: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Thinking about all you need to complete can be overwhelming. Instead get into the habit off asking “why” before you do anything and prioritize your tasks based on your values. Perhaps its revenue- things that will make you money, could cost you money, or save you money. Identify the items on your to do list that are likely to invade your thoughts until you get it done. Then formulate a plan to get them out of the way.

Create a Not-To-Do List: What are the things you need to avoid today to focus and achieve your goals? Make a list and check it off as you avoid doing them. As your working, when your mind inevitably wanders on something else that is important but not urgent, don’t try to not think of it. What you resist persists. Keep a notebook close by to capture that thought or idea by writing it down.

Eliminate Distraction: Do something right now that changes your productivity environment so you can do a better job of staying on task. Reposition your desk by a window with a calming view. Limit your social media time (including Linkedin). Set email and phone alerts to silent for non-essential topics or contacts then schedule a time to check them. Set aside no more than an hour on Sundays to pre-game your week.

Focus on Your Purpose: Reframe how you conceptualize what you are doing. Focus on how your tasks give you a sense of purpose [instead of the drudgery] and make tasks more enjoyable. You are not “handling customer complaints” you are “providing solutions”. Try beating your highest score instead of making endless calls when collecting on invoices.

Find Flow: Have you ever experienced the flow state? Where were you? What were you doing? How did it feel? What did you achieve at the end of it? Visualize that state. Give yourself enough time to complete tasks and enter a state of flow. Have clear goals while challenging yourself a little. The enemies of flow are multitasking, stress, fear of failure, and lack of conviction.

Take Breaks: They help sustain concentration, boost creativity, reduce stress, support information retention, alleviate eye strain and more. For every 45-60 minutes of work take a 1-5 minute break. This can be as simple as a stretch or a walk to get water.

-Best of luck on your increased productivity