Sunday nights are quite possibly worse than Mondays, just because we're dreading Monday and the official start of the work, school, and chaotic week. So now Monday not only ruins Monday, it also robs us a little of Sunday and our sanity as well. (There's just so much--all the prep, anxiety of what the week has in store, deadlines, chores and tasks not yet completed, getting to bed late--all contribute to starting the week off doomed.) So create a simple routine and implement it first thing every Monday morning. 1. Sundays save Mondays. Prep. Prep. Prep. Don't set yourself up for failure or add to the chaos of getting out the house on Monday. Next Sunday: pack your gym bag, pack a lunch, or at least snacks for your in between meals or when you don't have time to run around the corner and grab lunch like you planned. Better yet, cook your Monday breakfast the night before. The last thing you need to do is miss the first meal of the week or create one more reason to feel overworked on Monday morning. Also, lay your clothes out for Monday. Figure out what you're going to wear, get it out, and take one more thing off your plate Monday morning. 2. Take 20 minutes and get organized. Before jumping into the barrage of email, to dos, responding to customers, or returning calls....organize your week and your day. Productive people have a plan. Sit down with a piece of paper (or your "go to" electronic task list) and map out your week. Don't start putting out fires until you prioritize and create a game plan. Create a plan for the week, and most importantly the day. Haphazardly tackling Monday will set you up for failure, increase your stress, and yes, affect everything from your eating, sleeping, weight gain, and exercise habits. Make your lists, set calendar events, and help free up your mind a little for the week. 3. Be positive.  You don't have time for a bad mood. And frankly, you probably don't have enough energy to waste on a bad mood either. Create your upbeat Monday morning playlist. Play it on your computer or iPhone, get excited as you start crossing off tasks, and be excited about your week. Deflect everyone else's Monday blues with your get-it done attitude. It's all mental. Next Monday try waking up with this positive attitude the second your feet hit the floor. Play your playlist while getting ready and carrying it through to the office. 4. Start finishing projects on Thursday and Friday. When you start planning out your week, plan to be productive on Thursday and Friday so you're not sabotaging your Mondays. Mondays tend to be catch up days because you didn't do what you needed to do last week. This looms over you all weekend and subconsciously you are lamenting going in on Monday because you know you didn't do what you should have last week. Don't start the week behind with doom and gloom. Kick some butt on Thursdays and Fridays. 5. Save the meetings for Tuesday.  There's no question Fridays tend to be the least productive day of the week. We get it. You're tired. Your mind is elsewhere. You're day dreaming about the weekend. But, as it turns out Mondays aren't as great as one would think for productivity. People hit the ground running, then tend to have their energy and grand plans for productivity stifled by meetings and conference calls. Talk about a buzz kill. If you can avoid it, save meetings for Tuesdays. Map out your Mondays, make it productive, and dedicate your energy and focus to getting stuff off your plate.