The Monday Struggle

Mondays are a real struggle for me when it comes to sticking to my planned schedule. More often than not, I find myself working longer hours than I initially intended, and I’m left feeling frazzled and scattered as a result and trying avoid digital burnout early in the week. For example, if I plan to work for five hours on a Monday, I’ll probably end up clocking in closer to seven. The Monday struggle is just one of the many symptoms of digital burnout.

I know that for many people, working seven hours a day is considered normal. But for me, it’s a problem. Between ramping into and out or regular work tasks, the cognitive load of a 7 hour work day often bleeds into my personal life and they day ends up feeling like 12 hours of work. To address this, I’m always looking for ways to change my habits and make sure I’m using my energy and time efficiently. For our clients, this is critical to having a fresh energy and perspective on their unique business challenges.

Digital Silos and Defense against Multi-tasking

Let’s look at some ways we’ve helped clients address the state of overworking on Mondays. First, I always introduce the idea going to be more mindful of email usage. We’ve learned, through studies about the effects of multi-tasking, that a constant check of email, can lead to a day driven by reacting email-related tasks and a jigsaw puzzle of meetings. Email checking puts me in a state of constant task switching, which can drag out my day and make me feel less productive.

If we set more clear boundaries for ourselves when it comes to responding to ad hoc messages, we start to see a regenerative effect of the digital burnout and bloated workloads.

Instead of treating every message an emergency, checking them with such veracity makes my brain feel like it’s on fire, we can have shorter, higher energy blocks of time for sorting ad hoc messages and notifications.

If we couple this with reasonable breaks between cognitively demanding tasks, we set a tone for Monday’s and days to come to be more in alignment with producing high quality mental work

Additionally, Monday’s might be a time when you decide to ‘clean the cache’ of your digital workspace. This might include something small like emptying your recycle bin, or some thing not so small. Like finally sending that email letting your least engaged client go.

These acts may feel small, but it will free up some valuable time and energy in your work day and space in your digital workspace. With a smooth running computer and a mind at easy having let go of a non-ideal relationship, we can look forward to using our time in meaningful and efficient ways. Serving our engaged clients and supporting our team’s strengths and business goals.

A Balanced Monday = The Path For The Week Ahead

All in all, we know making these changes on a Monday (or any day!) won’t be easy, but dedicating some effort better boundaries with always-on culture and being more intentional about how we block our time on Monday’s, we’ll be able to achieve a better balance and reduce the stress that comes from always feeling like we’re rushing to catch up.

As a CEO of a small business, it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of responsibilities that come with the job. But it’s important to remember that taking the time to create a plan of action and setting realistic goals for yourself and your team can lead to a more productive and less stressful workweek.

It’s never too late to make changes in your work habits, and by understanding the problem and taking a proactive approach, it’s possible to break the cycle of overworking on Mondays and set yourself up for a more successful work week and less digital burnout.