I know today isn’t Monday but to me it still is one of my number one rules.
Never miss a Monday.
Have I broken this rule a time or two? Yes. However; it is often the biggest motivator to get me out of bed when my alarm goes off sometime between 4-4:25 AM.
Let’s face it – Monday is tough. You’re coming down from the weekend, you’ve got to get back to work, you’re up early (if you are anything like me), and sometimes it can put you in quite the funk.
Monday’s have always been the re-set for my training or just running in general. I put the good and bad of the previous week behind me and focus solely on what I have coming up.
Today I wanted to share with you all my reasons for never missing a Monday!
Keeping Motivation Up
The few times that I have skipped my Monday run, I always find that keeping my motivation up for the rest of the week is difficult. It’s not that I can’t get it done, but getting up and fitting in my run on Monday always gets me more pumped and focused for the training week ahead.
Sometimes a fun trick for me is to make Monday a workout day. This is especially helpful during marathon training. Instead of having an easy run, which for me is much easier to talk myself out of, I know I have an important run that will keep me motivated. Even during pregnancy I’ve been using Monday as one of my intervals mornings.
Focus at Work
I notice a big difference when I get up and get my run done on Monday morning at work then when I stay in bed. Sure, I may get a little extra sleep but I find that I am much more focused and productive when I arrive at work and for most of the day ahead.
The days where I don’t run I find that I feel more tired, unfocused, and just not as productive overall.
Healthy Eating Habits
If you are anything like me, the days when you skip your run or workout are the days when it is often don’t eat as well. I’m much more likely to picking up the quick foods instead of the healthy ones. Running first thing and making sure it happens on each Monday sets my week off on a positive note and helps me stick to not only my running schedule but good eating habits as well.
Keeps Away Monday Blues
Let’s face it, after a fun weekend getting up early and going back to work can be tough. It will even make it tougher to get up and get it done, but it always makes me feel more ready for the day ahead. I can get myself focused and back in “work week” mode much more quickly. Running helps to release endorphins, which can help better your mood!
Mondays are hard and I’m sure no matter what your day to day schedule is, they really don’t get any easier. Just like I believe that starting most of my days off with my run is my best way to ensure I am successful, starting my Monday off with a run is my best of way of ensuring I have a successful week overall. Does it always happen? No. But my chances are greatly increased if Monday happens!
Do you try to ensure you “Never miss a Monday”?
How important is Monday is preparing you for the rest of the week?