Megan's Monday Motivation
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Monday, 3/16/20: Talking about happiness while working remotely and lots of book recommendations

Happy Monday!

With everything going on right now, I think we can all acknowledge that it feels strange to see the words “Happy Monday.” I even contemplated if it made sense to send a newsletter today. But I hope this newsletter can be a quick 10-minute break for some of you from anxious, dark and scary thoughts. So, read on for some steps to a happier Monday, a short story and a roundup of positive thoughts to get your week started. Stay safe and healthy, friends! 

Three Steps to a Happier Monday

Each newsletter starts with three prompts to inspire gratitude and simple intention setting. Take a moment and jot down answers to these three questions. To give an example, I share my answers below.  

Step 1: What are three things I appreciated from the weekend? 

Step 2: What is one thing I can be excited about today?

Step 3: What is my intention for this week? 

GRATITUDE: From my weekend, I am thankful for time with one of my best friends (miss you already!!), meeting new friends and finding joy in little things (nice texts, funny Tik Tok videos).

TODAY: I am most excited about getting organized and prepared to take on the busy workweek ahead.

INTENTION: My intention for this week is to implement one of the below tips each day to make this working from home scenario a bit happier! Okay, your turn! And if you want to share your three steps, I am all ears. 🙂

Lesson of the Week: Happiness While Working From Home

It’s crazy how much can change over the course of a week. This time last week, I had a completely different idea of how this past weekend was going to go, what today’s newsletter would be about and how I would be leaving for the Bahamas tomorrow with my family. But like so many of you, a lot of plans needed to be changed and cancelled. 

I know so many of you went through something similar and I wanted to let you know that I’m so sorry for the stress, anxiety and/or sadness you’ve experienced over the past couple of days. This is such a strange time period, but one we will all get through together. 

I’ve been trying to counter my unhappy thoughts with thinking of something I’m grateful for (love an attitude of gratitude!). Something I keep expressing gratitude for is having a job that can be done remotely.  

This prompted me to think of how I can infuse a little more happiness into this non-traditional situation of working remotely for the next couple of weeks. 

Since a lot of you will likely be in a similar situation, I wanted to share a quick roundup of how we could making working from home a bit happier. Read on to learn more! 

Five Ways to Make Working From Home Happier:

  1. Using “commute time” for a new activity. On a regular workday, there’s a pocket of time you spend commuting to and from work. Since you’ll be logging on and off at relatively the same time as normal workdays, why not use the time you would  spend commuting for an activity that is guaranteed to improve your mood and help with anxious thoughts? Maybe that’s going for a walk/run or streaming a workout (I’ve heard great things about Melissa Wood Health, Body by Simone and Obe Fitness). Or, maybe you use this time to try out meditation or a prayer practice you’ve been interested in. 
  2. Testing out new recipes. I love using cooking as a distraction from feeling anxious. Following a recipe forces you to focus on something else, allows you to physically get some of your nervous energy out by working with your hands and provides a well-deserved reward (the cooked meal!). With working from home, you can pick delicious, nourishing, healthy-for-you options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If looking for some recipe inspiration, you know from past newsletters that I am obsessed with Kelly Leveque’s Body Love Every Day book because it has tons of easy, simple and really great recipes! 
  3. A break for the skin. Use this unusual break from the office to go makeup free and allow your skin the chance to breathe. You could even start a routine of wearing a face mask as you check your email in the morning! Multitasking at its finest. 🙂
  4. Time for bigger work projects. Just like how we are saving time with no commutes, we are also saving time without those hallway and kitchen co-worker conversations. Sure, there are a lot of other distractions at home, but maybe this break in your ordinary work routine will provide you with the space to tackle some of those bigger, creative, thought-provoking work assignments (goal setting, career mapping, etc.). 
  5. Finding new ways to connect. In the absence of those co-worker interactions mentioned in no. 4, make sure you are finding new ways to stay connected to others. The adjustment of working from home coupled with all that’s happening definitely has the potential to affect our mood and thoughts in unusual ways. Give yourself some grace with however you are reacting to all of this and make sure you are checking in regularly with your community. Send text messages, schedule FaceTimes and send love to those around you. 

On My Monday Radar

Sometimes we just aren’t ready to jump into our Monday to-do list right away. In case you want some content to procrastinate with, here is a roundup of a few positive things on my radar:  

That’s all for today! I hope you found something in today’s newsletter that sparked motivation, made you smile or inspired a positive Monday thought. Don’t underestimate the power of starting small… a fulfilling week starts with just one fulfilling day. You’ve got this! 

Let’s make it a great Monday!
Megan

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