Bottomless mimosas overlooking the bay in Tampa followed by a day of shopping til we dropped with my favorite person by my side is my idea of a gorgeous day. Any day with my husband, best friend, partner in crime, built-in comedian is a gorgeous day – only made more gorgeous by the fact our four sweet little ones were with Nana for the day and we got to enjoy an entire day by ourselves doing grownup things (like using the restroom alone). That’s how we spent our day last Sunday. It was nice.

Monday, on the other hand, was not so nice.

It was a chaotic morning.

I don’t like chaotic mornings.

I like order and efficiency, and I like not being exhausted.

Monday sets the tone for my week, and that’s why I work hard on Sundays to make sure Mondays are good days. With four kids, a business to run, a husband to love, a house to care for, a busy travel schedule, and a busy social life, I don’t get a lot of down time, but I’ve found I really crave downtime more than anything else. I need Sundays “off” or the rest of my week is a mess.

Ah, Mondays. So many people view them as negative, but I don’t hate them. I’ve said it before, but I really do believe Monday is a lovely day (can you tell I like schedule and routine?) and it’s a personal choice to make it that. There are so many articles on the internet telling us how to make Mondays better days, to conquer the day, to wake up, kick ass, take names, and repeat.

I like it.

But I’m a bigger believer that sometimes it’s taking the time to make the entire week count that works in our favor. Motivation Monday is here, y’all – and I’m sharing just a few of my favorite ways to begin my week on a killer note (read: well-rested, happy, and excited).

Make Sunday Count

I’m basically always tired, because I have four kids and I spend 16 hours a day doing, doing, doing, doing, doing, and the other eight sleeping. I don’t sit down except when I’m at my desk in my office – and we all know that doesn’t count. There is no rest for the weary in this house, my friends. That’s why we made the decision to make Sundays count. We were getting sick all the time, and we knew it was because we were overdoing it. We decided it was imperative to take one day to plan nothing and rest. Sundays are for rest.

• Sleep in
• Go to church
• Relax
• Rest
• Play

Sunday counts because it’s our family day. We do was we want to do, how we want to do it, and we allow the day to be nothing but ours. It means the kids are in bed early, we have time to prep for Monday, and we are in bed early. When we do have plans on a Sunday, Monday sucks. When Sunday feels rushed and busy and it’s not relaxing, Monday is a beast.

Get Ready for the Week

I like to spend 15 – 20 minutes in my office on a Sunday evening while the kids are winding down and cleaning their rooms to prep my calendar for the week. I take note of what’s in there, make my list of things to do Monday morning, and I go ahead and organize and prep a few things to help me get started faster and more efficiently in the morning.

We also like to make sure we wake up on a Monday morning with no laundry, no dirty dishes, no mess. Okay, okay, okay; we wake up every morning like that because I’m an anal-retentive neat freak who cannot handle messiness or disarray. BUT…believe me when I say spending 15 minutes each night tag-teaming the dishes, floors, countertops, and laundry is worth every second.

Invest In Quality Tools  

Whatever you do, do it with items that help you stay focused and motivated. For me, it’s my Lilly Pulitzer agenda that helps me stay motivated. It’s also my Erin Condren notebook for making short-term to-do lists. I also love my dry-erase wall calendar for keeping the family schedule (color coded, of course) next to my desk so I can keep track of all the schedules at my desk.

When you have the right tools, work is easier, and simpler to manage. We all want to be more effective, and the right tools make all the difference.

Get Up With the Alarm

I won’t lie – I do sometimes let the 5 alarm go and sleep until the 5:30 alarm as the weeks wears on. But, I never let the alarm go off on a Monday morning with a snooze. I find that Monday is easier when I get up right away and spend no time lounging. I feel more productive, more energized, and just plain better about the day.

Get Dressed

Wanna know a secret? I am happier without pants – and I spend most of the day in my favorite little red and black robe. I get dressed to take my kids to school, but I strip it down and get back into my robe the second I get home. Rest assured that every Instagram post, every blog post, every moment of my day I’m not out of my house, I’m in a cute little robe.

But – Monday mornings are for getting dressed. I choose a cute dress and jewelry, get myself together, and pretend I’m a responsible adult who has a plan for the day. It helps get me more motivated. When I feel good about how I look, I am in a much better mood. When I’m in a good mood, it’s easy for me to motivate myself.

Read Something Motivational

I cannot tell you how easy it is to start the day on a Monday morning with good intentions and a great tone when you start with something motivational. When I get out of the shower and pour my first cup of coffee, I immediately sit down on the couch in the dark quiet of my house and ready my First 5 app.

I peruse social media for a few moments, and then I head to Pinterest and read motivational quotes and articles. I love Instagram to read the inspiring blog posts, the great marketing and business tips, and the wonderful posts from my blogger friends and the amazing communities I’ve become a part of over the past few years.

There’s no right or wrong way to start your day to make Monday a good one, but it does help to remember you’re not just starting your Monday off on the right foot. You’re setting the tone for the entire week.

What do you do to prep for Monday so you can have a good week? I’d love to hear your tips and tricks!