Instructions:
Click “Duplicate” in the top right-hand corner of this screen to create a new copy of this worksheet, which you can then edit and bookmark for easy reference. (Bonus points if you download the Notion app to your phone for brain dumping on-the-go.)
Everything you see here is editable! Including the cover image and emoji icon. Feel free to delete my notes and instructions once you’ve set up this sheet to your liking.
How Monday Hour One Works:
- Each Monday morning, before you do any work (I actually do this on Sundays), brain dump everything that’s on your mind into the “Outstanding Tasks” column. Acceptable tasks include anything from “Finish Q4 report” to “Buy cat food” to “Watch new episode of Euphoria”. Your list should include things you need to do, but also things you want to do!
- Then, delegate your tasks to a specific day of the week. The key here is to really check in and be honest with yourself. For example: If you have a ton of meetings on Thursdays, be gentle with yourself and use that as a day to accomplish 1-2 simple tasks from your list.
- Aim for one mental break/joyful activity each day, even if it’s something small like watering your plants or snuggling a pet. Write these “tasks” down and make an effort to do them.
- You can leave future tasks in the “Outstanding” column until you are ready to address them, just be sure to note due dates so that you aren’t accidentally missing any deadlines.
- You may find it helpful to frontload your week, like I do. This allows me to re-schedule tasks for later in the week if I need more time. I try to tackle timely or daunting tasks on Mondays/Tuesdays so that the rest of my week can be used as needed.
- Feel free to allot a specific time of day to each task, or not! (I don’t unless it’s a scheduled work meeting, because inevitably I will run off schedule. Allowing myself more flexibility from the jump means I don’t shame spiral as much when something doesn’t go according to plan.)
- When you complete a task, move it over to the “Completed” tab. At the end of the week, you can delete completed tasks or move any recurring ones back to the “Outstanding” tab.
- Be sure to stop, reflect on the tasks you were able to accomplish, and acknowledge your hard work before starting this process over again.
I highly recommend listening to this episode of The Twelfth House podcast on the philosophy behind Monday Hour One BEFORE you begin. You can also download their free template, which is much more detailed than mine, great for teamwork or broader strategic planning!
The Twelfth House: Breaking Through Procrastination and Perfectionism With Monday Hour One on Apple Podcasts
Week of February 28