Ah, Fridays. Five o'clock happy hour, the whole weekend ahead, trading in work for fun for the next few days... yeah, right. Moms work 24/7, 365 days a year, so sadly, I confess, Fridays have lost a bit of their lustre for me. But Mondays are all mine, and I'll tell you how and why.
As I said, once you're a mom you don't get "weekends" anymore - you work every day. Weekends with the family or friends are great, but by Monday most of us are, well, we're behind on our work. Have you ever gone on vacation and left the house a mess in your rush to get out? Well, as much fun as weekends can be, most Mondays are like coming home to a house with dishes in the sink. If you're a working mom or a work-at-home mom, you have to contend with Monday headaches at the office too. No wonder everyone hates Mondays!
What's a mom to do? Well, I take Mondays off. Mondays are me-time in my book. I don't leave my house if at all possible. I don't schedule any appointments, or answer any calls. Mondays are for cleaning up the weekend's mess and getting all my ducks in a row to face the rest of the week. All I do is clean, organize and plan (okay, and write a bit, too). Even if you work full time outside of the home, you can do this. Just keep your calendar as open as possible. Sure, you'll have a few commitments, but so do I (someone's got to feed the kids). After you get in the habit of scheduling appointments or meetings Tuesday through Friday for a few weeks, you'll find yourself looking forward to the extra breathing room Mondays allow. If possible, take it a step further by setting up your email and voicemail to indicate that you're available Tuesday through Friday. Go ahead and screen those calls - who's time is it, anyway? YOU be the judge of what's important in YOUR life. In fact, after a few mind-clearing Mondays, you may find yourself planning your time so efficiently that you're more productive and less stressed throughout the week.
Could you choose another day? Yes, but I chose Mondays for a few reasons. First, the weekends really throw off my schedule, and by Monday I need to get organized again. Second, the husband and kids go back to work and school on Monday, so I've got more time to myself, more quiet, a fighting chance to complete a thought without interruption. Granted, I have a toddler at home, but it's still a much more calm environment than over the weekend. The third reason is that I want to make the best use of my one day "off". Mondays are historically horrible for trying to get anything done. Everyone and his brother are trying to reach the same call center, or get to the post office, or pay the same bills. Some companies will tell you point blank to contact them Tuesday through Thursday for the best service! Who wants less than the best service? Who wants to waste time on hold or in line? Not me. No, I'll call the cable guy on Tuesday, thanks, or return that package on Thursday morning. Finally, I like starting the work week with a clean home and clear mind. I am far more relaxed and optimistic about the upcoming week with a sanctuary and a plan to support me for the next seven days.
By Friday, I'm ready to kick off another crazy weekend. No matter what happens, I know I'll get it together again on Monday. Thank Goodness It's Monday!
*** Special thanks to BlingCheese.com for making Mondays look that much better - everything's better with Johnny.
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