The Soft Landing Monday
After reading this, you’ll be able to reduce the friction of returning to work and choose one clear first step. Productivity Shift: Resistance → Readiness 💗
Today was my first day back in Switzerland. There were (many, MANY) bags to unpack, messages to answer, work to resume, and new commitments already waiting.
Before I had properly begun, Monday felt full.
Perhaps you know that feeling too.
You look at everything waiting for you and assume you need to return at full speed. But the more pressure you place on the beginning, the harder it can become to begin at all.
You do not need to conquer Monday. You need a gentler place to land.
Last week, we explored how every yes takes up space in your life.
This week, we notice where many of those commitments eventually arrive: on Monday morning.
Making Monday lighter is not only about organizing your tasks.
It is also about deciding what deserves your attention now and what can wait.
Why Monday Can Feel So Heavy
Monday often carries more than one day’s work. It carries:
the unfinished tasks from last week;
expectations for the week ahead;
messages accumulated while you were away;
decisions you have not yet made;
pressure to immediately become productive again.
No wonder resistance appears.
It may not mean you are lazy or unmotivated. It may simply mean your starting point is too crowded.
Seven Ways to Make Monday Easier
1. Plan one meaningful task
Choose one task that would make the day feel worthwhile. Not seven priorities. One meaningful place to begin.
2. Clear your workspace
You do not need a perfect desk. Create enough physical and digital space to see what you are doing.
3. Reduce Monday decisions
Decide in advance where possible:
What will you work on first? What can wait?
What does not need your attention today?
Every decision removed makes beginning slightly easier.
4. Start manageable
Your first task does not need to prove anything.
Choose an entry point small enough that you can begin without a long internal negotiation.
5. Protect your morning energy
Avoid giving the clearest part of your attention to every incoming request. Even twenty protected minutes can change the direction of the day.
6. Keep expectations realistic
Monday does not need to contain the entire week.
A successful beginning may simply mean returning, finding your footing, and completing one important thing.
7. Begin gently
Gentle does not mean careless or unambitious. It means creating conditions that make showing up possible.
Imagine This Week
Imagine beginning Monday without immediately opening every message. You clear one small space. You choose one meaningful task. You begin before you feel completely caught up.
The week is still waiting but you are no longer trying to carry all of it at once.
Weekly Practice
Each time you need, complete this sentence:
I will feel lighter if I…
Keep the answer practical.
Perhaps you will choose your first task, clear your desk, protect thirty minutes, or postpone one unnecessary decision!
What are you asking Monday to hold that does not truly belong there?
You may not need more motivation. You may need fewer expectations.
Throughout the week, we will explore one small way to make Monday or a new cycle start easier—from reducing decisions to protecting your morning energy.
You can follow the whole week or simply choose the idea that would help you most right now.
And if you’d like extra accountability, deeper conversations, and member-only productivity resources, I’d love to welcome you into the Members’ Corner and learn more about your productivity journey.
A Different Kind of Suggested Reading
Not every productivity lesson needs to come from a productivity book, especially during summer.
This week, I’m starting a new kind of recommendation with one of my family’s favorite picture books:
Edwina: The Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct
Words and pictures by Mo Willems
Edwina is funny, warm, and unexpectedly wise. Every time I read this book, I notice something new about facing reality, acting on what we can change, and sometimes choosing to let the rest go.
It is short, delightful, and wonderful to read with children but absolutely not only for children.
You have no excuse: find a copy and meet the precious Edwina. I think you will love her too. 💗 See you in the SUPH Notes for more on this theme 💗
PS: Check the SUPH chat and the member’s corner for cozier input and sharing this week!
My mantra today: You do not need to unpack the whole week at once. 😊