A great work week is a perfect start to any weekend. There is something so satisfying about closing your laptop at the end of the week and knowing you have done well.
Not only are you less likely to log in to work over the weekend, but you are also motivated to begin again on Monday. The “Sunday Scaries” are replaced with a sense of anticipation as you look forward to repeating your success.
How do you have a great work week more often? The answer is easier than you might think.
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It is much easier to win the week when you know what success looks like. From there, you can plan your week to spend the right amount of time on the most important things.
Remember that every week is different and depends on what’s happening in your work and your life. What might seem like a small achievement this week could be huge in another situation.
Ask yourself, “who or what needs or who needs my attention most this week”?. There are 101 things that you could be doing. But what should you be spending your time on?
When we prioritise the people and activities that need our attention or that matter the most, we get that sense of “job well done” and a feeling of achievement.
When you have defined success for the week, remember to write it down! It is easy to get carried away throughout the week and add more things to our plates. When you refer to your original goals and objectives, you can stay on track and see that you are winning the week.
Preparation is the secret to a great work week when things are busy. The more you can do ahead of time, the more likely you will achieve your goals.
Begin by looking for any decisions you can make ahead of time. This could be simply deciding your clothes for the week, what meetings you will attend, or what you definitely won’t be able to do in the week ahead. Make the decisions now and thank yourself later.
Once you have those decisions made, batch your tasks as much as possible. If you have decided on your week’s clothes, prepare them now. The same goes for your work.
Spend 30 minutes organising any area where you have been able to make decisions to set yourself up for success.
Breaks are essential to sustain yourself throughout a busy week. If you have a full schedule for the week ahead, be sure to add micro-breaks. These small breaks can be five to ten minutes long and create much-needed space on hectic days. Do your best to plan your main break for the same time every day and allow at least 30 minutes.
Schedule breaks in your calendar and set reminders on your phone to help ensure you take them.
You can still have a great week if things aren’t going as planned. The key is to reflect, adapt and get back on track quickly.
As soon as you realise that you aren’t spending enough time on the things you want to, stop and take a step back.
Assess the situation by asking yourself the following questions:
It is then time to update or create a new plan. Spend up to 30 minutes doing this.
Write down the next steps that you know you need to take. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have it all figured out. Start with what you know and go from there.
If you know what winning looks like, have prepared for busy times and can get back on track quickly, then you will begin to have great weeks at work more often.
Finally, when the week is finished, pause and take a minute to ask yourself this. How could I make this even easier, even smoother, even less stressful the next time?
Go ahead and make this the best work week yet!