What does a successful work week look like to you? Is it a week where you’ve ticked off all of your to-dos, or even exceeded your targets? A successful week is defined by how you define success.
Success to us is a woman, who works hard, goes the extra mile and because of this, achieves. And let me tell you, after years of working in a fast-paced demanding industry that a successful work week is one that is organized and managed.
Many successful women like Jessica Alba, Sheryl Sandberg, and Victoria Beckham would definitely agree with the above statement. And it’s no surprise to us that these successful women owe their success to their routines and ability to plan ahead. They’ve achieved these well-structured routines through years of improving, self-discipline and a lot of effort. If you want to know more about their routines you can click here. Because, instead, today we are going to show you how you can create and plan a week that’s not only successful but productive.
Do A Brain Dump On Monday
For me, the essential way to start the day is with a brain dump. It’s the only way I can think clearly before starting with my to-dos because it’s really important that you think before you do. So, the first thing I do on my Monday morning as soon as I get into the office is offload. Over the weekend I tend to always write myself reminders and to-dos for the week ahead on my phone so I sit down with my Getting Things Done Planner and begin to plan out my entire week.
After I’ve done this, I go back in and create a structure for myself, allocating times to do the tasks I need to and writing them out on the other pages of my daily planner to make sure I’m getting things done on time.
Why it works: Using your brain to store information and ideas isn’t a good use of your time. It won’t help you work smarter, for some tips on how to work smarter check out this article. This will also create unnecessary stress, so put it down into a trusted system to be able to process it better.
Eat The Elephant On Tuesdays
It’s become a ritual that I spend my Tuesdays getting my least favorite tasks out of the way. These tasks are the least fun, the most boring and at times the most challenging. Because we all have those tasks that we just don’t want to do and put off and off. But this is not good for our productivity or our mind.
Do this on a Tuesday because you’ve started a new work week and you’ll still be motivated to get it all done. So, whilst you’re at your most productive just eat the elephant and get all of those pesky, unwanted tasks out of the way. And that way, you’ll have the rest of the week to feel much better about everything.
Why it works: It’s actually really good for your mind and your productivity because as you’re eating the elephant you’re actually going through the processes of decluttering your mind. Usually, my natural impulse is to leave those tasks until the end of the week, but streamlining these things will make me more productive throughout the week. And if you get the most hated tasks out of the way first it means you won’t be dreading them from Monday to Friday.
PHOTO: WE THE PEOPLE
Workout On Wednesday
I have a workout schedule to follow, and without fail, I will workout on Wednesday. If I still have work to do or other tasks to check in with, I will set them aside. This is time for me, just 30 minutes after work is usually enough for me.
Why it works: Working out helps me firstly to process the week, but also to release tension. It also gives me a mood boost, there’s no such thing as hump day when you’ve flooded your brain with endorphins after a workout. Check out these fitness classes for the ultimate workout, or if you prefer to do them at home, try out our favorites here.
Thursday Is For Reflection
By Wednesday, my week has already taken off crazily. So, it’s really important that I take a moment on Thursday to slow it all down. I don’t meditate in the traditional sense, I will take 10-15 minutes without my phone after work to reflect on what I need to do and what’s been going well so far.
Why it works: For me, it just gives me that perfect mid-week break. It really just slows the world down and gives me the clarity to think about my week with a more clear, level head. Because honestly, I can stress out really easily and it’s something I have to continuously work on – so by offloading my week with either a pamper session or a bath with essential oils (see my routine with them here).
Use Your Fridays To Prepare
I always do my weekly shop after work on a Friday. I love to plan my meals for the weekend because I have more time to cook, and this is made easier with my Getting Things Done Planner because at the start of the week I plan my meals ahead of time and because I like to keep my Sundays free and full of relaxation, so I can do valuable things with my day. So, if you’re looking to make your Sundays more exciting then click here to see how.
Why it works: I find it much better when I do this on a Friday. Making sure my meals for next week are prepped on a Friday not only allows me to have more of a weekend but also a strong start for the week ahead. Check out these healthy meals you can prep in under thirty minutes to get you started!
So, tell me, how do you plan your week? Do you do the same thing every day? Share your thoughts with me in the comments below.
GOOD THINGS
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