This is how Mondays used to look…
Wake up anxious about everything “I have to get done”!
Scramble to get the house in order after the morning school run.
Dive straight into the week’s chaos with a long to-do list that had been swarming around in my mind the entire weekend.
Scribble it all down with the hopes of getting as much stuff done.
Start by answering emails, getting frustrated, and then trying to figure out something to post on Instagram.
Pick something off my to-do list (nothing important, just something that feels most urgent).
Then see some replies filtering back into my inbox (shit, that’s urgent, I need to reply to that) and switch back to answering emails.
Emails are finally done, but now I’m too exhausted to do anything else.
And so I would flit between my inbox and an unrealistic to-do list that would never be finished.
The list would make me feel like I wasn’t getting enough done, and if I had more hours in my day, I could finally catch up!
My week (and emotions) felt like a game of Jenga: one wrong move and everything (including my composure) would come toppling down.
Then, after burning out and being forced to slow down, I did a complete 180.
I think I did what most people recovering from burnout do: I tried to regain some sense of control by absorbing all of the toxic productivity advice out there.
My Google calendar started looking like a game of Tetris, where every chunk of time was accounted for and colour coded into –
“Journal” 15 min
“Meditate” 10 Min
“Lunch” 30 min
“Relax” at 2pm on a Tuesday
I had turned “self-care” and rituals into chores. Instead of finding peace and calm, as the productivity gurus promised, I felt even more stressed and anxious, and I had even more things on my to-do list!
It just didn’t work for me
This is why I have created a softer, more intuitive way to ease myself into the week.
One where I don’t feel like I have to rush through my rituals and skip straight to getting as much shit done.
It feels counterintuitive when you first start slowing down your Mondays, but once you find a rhythm, you actually end up having a much more “productive” (gosh, I hate that word) week.
Now Mondays are my sacred reset days, and my weekends are protected 🖤
I use Mondays as a time to pause, recalibrate after the busyness of the weekend (if you’re an introverted parent, I think you will relate), and set the tone for the week instead of diving straight into my inbox and to-do list.
But, before I could “fix” my Mondays, I actually had to recognise what was happening on the weekend.
I noticed that because my brain was switched off and having fun, I would be flooded with ideas over the weekend!
On Sundays, I would remember all the little things I had to get done, and so before I even got back to my desk on Monday, I would feel like I had a million and one things to get done.
That’s why I have a space in Notion to collect all of those types of thoughts and tasks over the weekend (or anytime I’m away from my desk)—a kind of holding space where tasks can percolate before actually being added to my to-do list.
GRAB NOTION TEMPLATE HERE!
Yes, there are truly urgent tasks, and those can be flagged for Monday, but most of the time, I just need to get the ideas and tasks out of my brain and into a space to deal with later.
This cleared up so much mental clutter. I didn’t have to hold onto these ideas and tasks in fear that I would forget them and never come back to them.
I usually revisit this list often and use it for my quarterly and monthly planning. However, I do have a section that flags truly urgent tasks, so I can easily pick up on these on a Monday.
I cannot tell you what a difference it has made because sometimes, these tasks need time to decide if they truly are a “need to do.”
I regularly curate this list, giving myself time to pause and reflect—to see if the task is something that I “need to do,” “want to do,” “should do,” or something that I can “let go of for another season.”
Feel free to use my Mindful Task Collection Tool in Notion – and see if it helps.
Next, I created a little Monday Ritual Menu to set the tone for the week and honour my energy.
The problem with rituals and self-care is that they only work if you have the right energy and intention behind them. On some Mondays, I will have more energy, feel more grounded, and be more relaxed to lean into my rituals and practices.
Other times, I will have zero energy and can only light a candle, write a small gratitude list, and pull a tarot card.
Our energy and weeks will always feel different, so how can we expect our rituals and self-care to look the same every week?
This is why I have a ritual menu – things I know help ground me and nourish my soul.
Depending on my mood and energy, I can pick and choose the things that feel helpful and nourishing.
Like I said, sometimes I will do everything off the menu, and sometimes I can only manage one or two. If my energy is really low, I will try to do just a few low-effort things to help ground me. Even if all I can manage is taking a few moments to clear my desk and check in to see how my energy feels.
Here’s how I set my Intentions for the week and what a typical Monday Ritual looks like…
🍄 RESET MY SPACE
This is the ritual that I never miss on a Monday because it always makes me feel better. And that is to reset my physical space.
I wish I were one of those people who cleared away the clutter at the end of the week, but most often, I walk into a slightly messy office (and realise where all the missing mugs have been🤣🤣🤣).
This is why I take time to clear away all the clutter, wipe my desk down, and organise all the notebooks, pens, and bits and bobs that gather on my desk throughout the week.
This simple act helps me feel better and more relaxed in my space.
🍄 SET THE SCENE
I love nothing better than a cosy little office space, so once everything is tidied, I usually light some candles, burn some incense, and turn on the fairy lights in the darker months.
I might do a little energy cleanse of my space, using a bell or the incense I am burning. I might walk through my office and think about any lingering negative energy from the week before, imagining myself letting it all go and making space for a new energy for the week.
Sometimes, I feel a little down, so I pop on a song and dance a little. The whole point is to take the time to check in with yourself and see what you need before planning your entire week (or diving straight into work).
🍄 ENERGY CHECK-IN
Again, this is another ritual I will never skip on a Monday, and that is to check in with my energy. Some days, all I can manage is to take a deep breath, pause, and check in with how I am feeling. Other times, I will have a bit more energy to journal and dive a little deeper.
This simple act helps me ground myself, adjust my expectations, and plan my weeks with a lot more kindness. Some weeks, I might need to take things a little slower; other weeks, I need to harness my energy and ensure I don’t push myself too far.
Here are some journal prompts to help you check in with your energy:
- How can I honour my energy this week? Do I need to set any boundaries for myself, clients, or tasks?
- Where do I need to offer myself more compassion or kindness? How can I soften my approach to my week?
- Does my business feel like it’s flowing with ease, or does it feel like I am forcing things? What can I do this week to encourage more flow?
- What do I want to hold myself accountable for this week? How will I check in with myself to make sure I am staying on track?
- How can I align my work with the seasons, moon phases, or natural cycles to stay aligned with my energy?
🍄 JOURNAL SESSION
If I have the energy and capacity, I might dive deeper into these journal prompts and draw a tarot card to guide my energy and intention for the week. This serves as an anchor, reminding me to stay centred no matter what the week brings.
I might also spend some time journaling about last week, what went well, and what lessons I learned. I will use this journaling time to reconnect with my business vision and make sure that I am focusing on what matters instead of getting caught up in the noise online and in comparison.
If I can’t manage to journal, I might write down some things I am grateful for and one thing that will move me forward toward my goals and desires.
🍄 AND FINALLY, I WILL START TO PLAN OUT MY WEEK.
Once I feel rooted in what I need this week and how I feel, I will start to map out my week. I like doing this with a paper planner. I love Notion, but I’m still a stationery lover at heart. The act of writing something down feels like a commitment to actually getting it done.
I take this quite seriously, and so I won’t write down more than I think I can realistically complete.
Sometimes, I strike a balance. I still find myself being overly optimistic with my time, but there is so much less guilt around my to-do list.
I only try to get up to three things done daily, and each day of the week has a theme. I’m not overly rigid; things can move around and adapt depending on how I am feeling or my family’s schedule.
The main point is that everything that ends up on my to-do list is very intentional and has a purpose.
There is no rush, urgency, or pressure – just a clear sense of direction.
Once this is done, I will usually spend the rest of my Monday writing for my Newsletter and blog (and now Substack) and checking in with clients. But more than that, I use Mondays as a time to reconnect with my business after taking a break over the weekend.
I don’t expect myself to go from relaxed to productive just because it’s Monday. I want to gently ease myself back into work. I want to not feel rushed or panicked. I want to remind myself that everything will get done as and when it should and that my to-do list will never be completely finished, but I get to decide when I am done for the day or week.
I hope this has given you a glimpse into my process or sparked an idea of how you can create your own Monday Ritual. Remember, it doesn’t have to be elaborate or fancy; something as simple as taking 10-20 minutes to ground yourself can make all the difference in how you experience your week.
Most importantly, this is a gentle reminder (or permission slip) to be kinder to yourself at the start of every week. It’s ok to move at your own pace, to pause when you need to, and trust that each small step you take is leading you to exactly where you need to be 🖤
Let’s transform how you tackle your to-do list in your creative business
P.S. If we don’t know each other, I’m Stacey. An (anti) productivity guide & business manager, helping deeply feeling photographers & solopreneurs reshape their businesses so you can go from feeling stuck and drained to knowing how to manage your business and energy in a way that supports you! If you want to learn more about my 1:1 work, click here.
P.P.S. Thanks so much for reading – If you enjoyed this post, feel free to share it with a friend who will love it too!
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