Don’t Wait Until Monday
A few months ago on a Monday morning, Pete walked into his office with fresh motivation and a glimmer in his eye. He was holding a green smoothie, and announced, “Today’s the day I’m turning things around!” He talked about his new workout plan, how he was cutting out sugar, reading 10 pages a day, and not eating anything fried for the next 75 days.
By Thursday, Pete’s smoothie had been replaced by a cold brew with cream and a blueberry muffin. By Friday, he was declaring “next Monday” was the real starting line.
We all have a little bit of Pete in us.
Here we are, in August, more than halfway through the year. Remember those New Year’s resolutions you made? That journal you were going to keep, that 5K you were going to run, that “no-spend” plan you were totally going to stick to? How’s it going?
Before you start to judge yourself or feel discouraged, I have some good news: No matter where you are in terms of your personal or professional goals, you don’t need to wait until Monday for a fresh start. You don’t need Mercury to be out of retrograde. You just need to begin. Today. How about right now?
And here’s the thing: waiting until Monday doesn’t usually work out. Research from Weight Watchers shows that people who weigh in on Mondays lose 31% more weight than those who weigh in on Fridays. Why? Because Friday weigh-ins often turn into “free-for-all” weekends, followed by regret and a new promise to “start fresh on Monday.”
The start-on-Monday mentality shows up everywhere: in our health, our finances, our relationships, our careers. But momentum doesn’t wait for Mondays. It builds when you take one small action right now.
Let’s be honest: as humans, we are not naturally wired to follow through. Our brains crave comfort, default to the path of least resistance, and overestimate what we’ll do later. That’s why willpower alone is never enough.
We need to be more aware—and more strategic—than we think. Setting up our environment for success is key. That might mean putting your running shoes next to your bed, or having a workout buddy meet you at the gym to hold you accountable.
Small cues can drive big changes, especially if we design for them on purpose.
5 Quick Ways to Get Back on Track Today!
Send the text. The friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with? The colleague you owe a thank-you to? Relationships don’t grow with intentions; they grow with effort. Be the one who makes the effort.
Do 10 minutes of movement. You don’t need to run a marathon. Do some jumping jacks. Take a walk. Stretch. Forward is forward.
Automate your savings. Even if it’s a small but consistent amount each week or month, set it up now. Don’t wait until your next annual financial review meeting to get started.
Revisit one goal you had in January. Pick just one. Make a list of 3 things you can do this week to get closer to it. Then do one of those things today.
Declutter one small space. Your desk. Your email inbox. The backseat of your car. A small win boosts energy and confidence.
Back to Pete...
Last Thursday, something shifted. He didn’t just say he’d start. He actually started. And it wasn’t even a Monday! It happened because he committed. And when the weekend came, he didn’t blow it up. He stayed consistent. Weeks went by, and he was still following through. Eventually, people stopped joking about his smoothies—and started asking for his recipe.
The point? You don’t need a Monday to start over. You just need a moment of decision. That moment is right now.
What’s one thing you’ve been putting off until Monday? Pick it up today. Send the email. Go for the walk. Make the call. Set the boundary. Do the thing.
You don’t need Monday’s permission.
You just need your own.
This Week’s Resources & Cool Ideas
Need a simple but delicious green smoothie recipe?
Looking for an easy recipe to make a green smoothie— especially with all the fresh summer produce available right now? Put your farm share pickup to work and make this delicious drink, courtesy of Joy/Food/Sunshine.
How to get on a winning streak:
Download the Streaks app. Streaks is a habit-tracking app that helps you build momentum through visual cues and gamification. Whether it’s saving money, drinking more water, exercising, or calling your mom, users can track daily goals and build “streaks” to stay motivated. The satisfaction of seeing a streak grow reinforces consistency. Working on something every day helps you form a new habit. Don’t break the chain, or your streak will reset to zero days. It’s versatile because you can also set “negative” habits (like “no soda today”) to break.
Why are Mondays so miserable?
Do you feel like Mondays are stressful, unpredictable, and cause you to be more tired than other days? It’s not just you! Read this article from Psychology Today about why Mondays are universally hard for all of us.
CRN202807-9095642. Disclosure: Securities and investment advisory services offered through registered representatives of MML Investors Services, LLC, Member SIPC. The Jamrog Group is not a subsidiary of MML Investors Services, or its affiliated companies. Supervisory Office: 330 Whitney Ave, Suite 600 Holyoke, MA 01040 Telephone: (413) 539-2000.
