Despite the superhuman facade that craftsmen tend to display, they face the same mental and physical challenges as everyone else. Yes, that includes the ever-present Monday blues! The difference is that craftsmen are adept problem solvers with unbeatable resolve. With the right set of tools, craftsmen can overcome any obstacle. Consider this your mental toolbox for starting the week with a bang.
Finish the week strong.
How you finish this week impacts how you start next week. For every bit you slack off on Friday, you’ll have to sweat that much more on Monday. Instead of racing towards the finish line when the weekend is in sight, treat Friday like any other day of the week. Put your head down, block out distractions, and grind it out until you’re done. Starting off the week fresh without hangovers from the prior week will help boost your motivation.
Create a Monday morning ritual.
Research has shown that sticking with a consistent ritual in the a.m. can minimize stress and boost productivity on the job site. Building a routine for Mondays specifically helps to frontload these benefits so you can smoothly transition from me-time to crunch time. Fill your morning routine with short-duration activities that help prepare you to hit the ground running such as drinking coffee, eating a nutrient-dense meal, or stretching.
Further Reading: How to Kick Those Coffee Jitters
Get enough sleep.
Sleep is by far the easiest thing you can do to show up on Monday full of energy, ready to tackle whatever the week brings. In fact, catching enough z’s has all-around benefits helping you work hard, stay healthy, and live well. Enter the classic question: How many hours of sleep do you need? You’ll hear a variety of answers, but most experts agree that between 7 and 9 hours of sleep is optimal. At the end of the day, you’ll have to find what works best for you.
Keep up with your water intake.
Avoiding dehydration on the job site is pretty straightforward: When you’re thirsty, you drink! When you’re taking it easy over the weekend though, you won’t have the same physical exertion triggering feelings of thirst. Instead of waiting until you feel dry, you’ll need to actively stay up on your water intake. This will prevent you from hitting a wall on Monday once you kick back into gear. If you’re drinking other fluids such as coffee, tea, and juice, you only need around 4 to 6 cups of water a day.
Visualize your success.
Don’t worry! This isn’t any of that woo-woo, self-help-guru nonsense. Several studies have proven that visualizing positive outcomes can improve your performance in the real world. Think of it like training your brain for the results you want. When you envision a productive, energized, and enjoyable Monday, your brain is well-rehearsed by the time the week rolls around. This phenomenon works the same in reverse, so make sure to think positively!
Don’t overdo it on the weekend.
Everyone looks forward to the weekend, especially those working in physically demanding industries. While there’s always a temptation to completely let go on Saturday and Sunday, this all-in approach has diminishing returns when Monday morning comes a-knockin’. You’re better off balancing the revelry with enough relaxation so you can start the week off strong. For those times when you need to let loose, try to leave Sunday open for a full day of recovery.
Having trouble kickstarting your career? The experienced staffing professionals at Madden Craftsmen can help cure your job search blues by pairing you with leading industrial employers! How? Well, we have an extensive database of leading local companies that are actively looking for talented and qualified craftsmen just like you! Check out our job search for immediate job openings nearest you.
