Monday mornings—for most people, the beginning of a new work week—can be critical because they set the stage for the day and the week ahead.

“Most people are keenly aware of the typical Monday office dynamic,” suggests workplace expert Lynn Taylor, author of, ‘Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant.’ “This is a time to apply your best management skills to ensure the week ahead unfolds as smoothly as possible."

Among the top 10 things Taylor found successful people do zealously on Monday mornings:
 

• Wake up early – Most successful people get a good night’s sleep on Sunday and wake up early on Monday morning.
• Exercise – Working out gets your circulation going and helps you stay alert and ready to start the work day.
• Eat a good breakfast – Eating a healthy morning meal gives you the energy to work without staring at the clock waiting for lunch hour.
• Plan to arrive early – Getting an early start can help you avoid a bad Monday commute and give you some wiggle room for the unexpected at work.
• Clear the desk and desktop – Hopefully, you did this on Friday afternoon. In any case, organize and prioritize your files. Put aside unimportant paperwork and keep critical files easily accessible.
• Carve out time for the unexpected – Try to build in an hour or two on Monday to handle unexpected tasks or requests.
• Greet the team and the boss – Doing so every morning helps keep morale up, but it’s especially important on Monday when almost everyone can use a lift.
• Update to-do lists and goals – Get yourself current on tasks and priorities. Set your goals for the week, knowing that tasks not accomplished can probably be put off until next week.
• Visualize the week’s successes – Taking a moment to do this can fill you with energy and a desire to get the week started.
• Tackle the tough challenges first - The least desirable but critical projects are easy to put off, but your energy is stronger in the morning, so that's the ideal time to confront the most difficult tasks.