Happy Monday,
I hope your weekend was awesome, and Monday is off to a great start!
Today I’m want to talk about Mindset, and one simple thing you can do make your day (and week) more enjoyable and productive.
Mindset is the first Pillar in my 4 Pillars of Personal Performance for a good reason. Improving your mindset is the most important thing you can do to improve you performance in every area of life. I put it in bold for effect. This Pillar cannot be understated. It’s the filter through which you view the world.
What does Mindset have to do with getting up in the morning (particularly on Mondays)? Lots!
Everybody loves weekends, but few people love Mondays. It’s common to wake up with a feeling of letdown from the weekend fun, combined with anxiety and stress about the week.
This perspective alone sets a negative tone for both your day, and the entire week. This doesn’t just happen on Mondays, but we see it every day of the week in many people.
If you approach the week thinking work is a drag, it’s going to be a slog, and your goal is just to get through the week, then your reality will likely live up to that mindset.
Shifting your perspective at how you look at the work week (challenges and all) is the first step in making your week better. This doesn’t mean ignoring the things you don’t like.
At the simplest level, it means finding the bright spots, and looking at what you have control over changing each week.
A simple and very helpful place to start is your introduction to the morning…your alarm. If your alarm is a loud, obnoxious siren that would wake the dead, then I highly recommend changing it.
Starting each morning with a shot of adrenaline and a negative stress response to that sound isn’t doing you any good. If you wake up cursing at the alarm, smash the snooze button and wish desperately for a few more minutes of sleep, how do you think that helps your mindset for the day.
It doesn’t! In fact, it sets a negative and stress filled mood that is often difficult to overcome. This simple stimulus can create a cascade of negative situations that have wide ranging impact on work, relationships, and self esteem.
Years ago, I switched my alarm to a gradual, pleasant tone that wakes me gently. The app I use (Sleep Cycle for iOS) even wakes me at the most opportune time within my sleep cycle so I have the greatest change to wake feeling rested and rejuvenated.
The app was $1.39 in the app store, and I’ve used it almost every day for over 6 years. Not a bad return on investment. I wouldn’t even think of going back to the old school style alarm that jolts you out of bed.
Here’s a sleep challenge for you.
Change your alarm to something less stressful. Ideally one that has a gradual change in volume and tone, so you wake gently.
Do this for at least 1 week (preferably 2), and let me know what changes you notice.
If you are exhausted in the mornings, it’s time to look at your bedtime routine and “sleep hygiene”, but more about that in a future post.
Would you benefit from some help with your mindset, sleep habits, or any other part of the 4 Pillars of Performance (Mindset, Habits, Movement, Fuel). Just email or call. I’m here to help.
Have a great day!
Tim Borys
CEO
FRESH! Wellness Group
P.S. I’m hosting a Performance goal setting workshop and a Grocery store tour in the next couple weeks. If you are interested in either (or both), just email to let me know.