Our weeks are full and there always more to be done than time to do it. Having a plan for the week helps you get the most important things done and makes life less stressful because you always know what needs to be done. This article will show you how to you plan your week so you can be more productive.
Luckily, many aspects of our weeks can be put into a routine. When something becomes a routine, it’s much easier to keep up with and make sure it gets done from week to week. By creating a weekly routine, you free yourself from thinking about what needs to get done. When you don’t have to think about what you should be doing at any given time, you will save time and mental energy.
Step 1:
Make a list of everything you need or want to get done in a week
It’s helpful to make two different lists: one of everything that must get done in a week and one for what you would like to do every week. Try to be as thorough as possible and be realistic about really has to get done. Make sure you include some time to take care of yourself and do some things you want to do.
Once you’ve made your lists, look through to see if everything is something you should be doing or whether it includes things you should be delegating. There will also be tasks that need to get done monthly or quarterly, but not every week. Put these items on a third list so when you’re scheduling your time, you include time to tackle these items.
Step 2:
Create a time budget
A time budget is essentially just blocking out the different activities you do each week. Start with a blank weekly time sheet. Add in the things you “have” to do. This might include taking kids to school or going to work. Make sure you include commute and getting ready time when you’re blocking out the time for different activities.
Once you have your must-dos are on there, look at the time you have left and decide how you want to spend this. A good place to start is to look at your goals and see what you need to do each week to reach those goals. Make sure you block out time for this so it doesn’t get eaten up by things like chores. It also helps to look for little pockets of time so you can see where you can fit in small tasks that will get you closer to your goals.
Don’t forget to leave some margin time in your time budget, especially on days when it’s typical for things to come up. It’s also nice to include some unscheduled time on the weekends so you can be spontaneous every now and then.
When I did my time budget, I used four different colored pens to so I could see how much time I was spending on each area of my life. I have a color for work, family, self-care, and household stuff. It helps me to look at my week and make sure there’s a good balance of all the colors. I’m not usually a visual person, but seeing it clearly laid out made me see where I could make some changes.
Step 3:
Assign tasks to certain days
Once you have all your time blocked out, look at your days and decide what tasks need to be done on certain days. Knowing what needs to be done every day reduces decision fatigue and makes sure you know you aren’t going to miss something. For most tasks, there’s a certain day of the week that makes more sense to complete it. Choose a day of the week to do different business tasks. Schedule all your meetings on a few days a week and devote the other days to marketing and content creation. Whatever it is, look at the time you have available for the different areas of your life on any given day and decide generally what you’re going to do that day.
Step 4:
Review routine regularly
Life is always changing so what works now may not work in a few weeks. Review your routine regularly and adjust as needed. Having a routine that looks good on paper but isn’t working for you doesn’t do you any good.
Follow these steps to plan your week
Running a business and a household is a lot. Having a weekly routine puts your week {a little bit} on autopilot. It can save time and mental energy, which we could all use more of. To create your weekly routine make a list of your responsibilities, create a time budget, assign tasks to certain days, and review your routine regularly.