Writers Unbound

First day of the work week: we’re all tired from the weekend (ironic, since weekends are supposed to be when we get more rest), and we tend to treat Mondays like a hangover: just live through it.
Monday is the make-it-or-break-it day of the week. Being productive on Monday means less stress and more productivity through the rest of the week. Pushing ourselves a little harder on Monday means we can coast a little at the end of the week.

1. Take 20 minutes with your planner and/or wall calendar to write in your appointments, meetings, social events and deadlines. Now, with the time that remains, write in (with ink!) WRITING at least once a day for an hour.
2. Write out a Master List of your to do items for the week. Put on your writing projects, writing jobs, personal obligations, family events, things to do around the house, and other errands and projects. You can use the Master List to compose your daily to-do list for each day of the week, and at the end of the week you will know what you didn’t get to. That’s much better than the hazy, guilty feeling of knowing you’ve missed something important that can ruin a perfectly good weekend.
3. Take some time during your Monday to make sure you have what you need and where you need it: books for review or research, paper and ink for your printer, pens, paper, and if you can, go ahead and get the groceries and household items so you don’t have to waste time thinking about while you’re in the middle of writing a great scene later this week.
4. Towards the end of your Monday, set aside thirty minutes to an hour, set a timer, and attack the pile of busy work. Open your mail and deal with it. Answers important emails. File your papers, pay your bills, sort your photos, clean out your in box. Then straighten your desk. If you work full-time, you’ll need to do this at work and at home.
5. Before you go to bed on Monday night, straighten up your house. Pull out your clothes for the next day. Get your lunch in the refrigerator, ready to go. Put your purse or briefcase by the door. Then grab your Master List and your planner and decide what you’re going to do on Tuesday.

More:
Read Donald Latumahina’s great article on The Art of Nonfinishing; it’s an important concept for busy writers (and other busy people, too…).
And this article by Allen Galbraith at Life Is a Journal can help you Let People Have a Bad Day (they will be the ones not making Monday count.)