How to Plan Your Week to be Productive

How to Plan Your Week to be Productive: We all get the same amount of hours in the day so how can we make them the most productive? Here’s how…

I’ll be honest… I have a major obsession with organization, tackling my to-do list, and multi-tasking. My desire to get a ton of things done can overflow in to almost every aspect of my day. But even though I’ve learned how to say “no”, to other things… sometimes it can still be hard to say “no” to myself.

For example, some days it’s a struggle for me to even want to take the time to shower unless I can listen to a podcast and learn something while doing it. I mean, how wild is that?

Or if I wake up because of a snow storm at 3 a.m. (that’s very possible living in Montana) I get this urge to want to get up out of bed and start my day so I can get more things accomplished instead of trying to go back to sleep.

Now is this healthy? I don’t know. I mean, my body gets T-I-R-E-D some days and I refuse to rest at times. So I’m sure it’s not the healthiest. However, I do love that I’m able to get so much done a lot of days because of this natural “drive” that I have.

But I know that productivity is a big desire for so many of you too and I wanted to have a friend come on and share with you her expert tips about how to plan to be more productive through the week because planning productivity is something that we can ALL get on board with, even if you’re a multi-tasker like me or if you need a push to get some things done!

So I am ecstatic to have Love from Mim here with us today, sharing with us the BEST ways to find more productivity in our days!

How to Plan Your Week to be Productive

How is it that some women seem to have it all together every week when they’re feeling knee-deep in the weeds, surrounded by the feeling of overwhelm?

I’ll let you in on a secret! For many, it’s down to the work they do before their week even begins.

Having a Routine

Having a routine in place that helps you plan your week ahead will not only help keep you organized and on track with your goals, but it can also help your mental health too.

Because let’s face it, no one wants to spend any more time in ‘overwhelm’ than they need to.

In this guide, you’ll learn how you can plan your week effectively in just 20 minutes each week.

The result?

Peace! You’ll be able to start your weekend, and the next week ahead, safe in the knowledge that you know what’s happening, what needs to be done and when.

5 Steps on How to Plan Your Week

Here are the five steps to planning for a productive week in just 15 minutes.

1. Pick your perfect planner.

If you’ve never used a planner before, working out what kind of planner is right for you to start with can be quite simple.

Are you a list-maker? If so, a vertical-style planner with lots of room to make bullet point lists will work well. (Or use phone apps to stay organized!)

More of a creative? Try bullet journaling where you’ll have plenty of white space to decorate and plan your way.

Is daily journaling your thing? A horizontal-style planner could give you the room to write longer sentences to outline all you need to get done in the week.

Remember too, as you get used to planning your week in a planner, you’ll soon start to realize what kind of planning style works best for you.

2. Choose a time to plan.

Find a 15-minute slot on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday – or early on a Monday morning before your day has really begun.

Friday afternoons are a perfect time unless you’re running around with the kids!

At the end of the week, you’re already clear on what needs to be done next week and this is also a great opportunity to sit down and reflect on the week you just had.

Find a quiet space, free of interruptions, and open up your planner for the next week.

Write in the plans and goals you have for each day for your personal, work, and family life.

This includes any appointments, recurring events, and, of course, your To Do lists. But before you get carried away…

3. Be ruthless with what you do, and don’t, commit to.

Each day, pick one main task that needs to happen. It might be an appointment, a phone call or a specific task.

Put this high up at the top of your list, or in a very clearly marked spot on your planner.

This is the one task that you’re going to commit to completing, no matter what. No cherry-picking!

Next, pick and plan for 1-5 other tasks and appointments that you can achieve that day. No more than five.

Why? Well, unless they are really small tasks, the likelihood of you completing them is slim.

We want to plan realistically because getting to the end of the day and realizing that you’ve barely made a dent in your To Do list isn’t motivating. So, set yourself up for practical success.

You can always add a ‘Nice To Do’ list too – that you can move on to if you get through your important things first.

4. Factor in the fun!

Are you guilty of getting to the end of the week and realizing that you didn’t get a minute to yourself? Or put everyone else’s needs before your own?

Chances are, it’s because you planned for everyone else and not yourself!

With that in mind, plan for the fun stuff too: the self-care activities, the phone calls with friends, reading your book, a quick meditation or exercising, a craft or art project, etc.

Even if you can only find 5 minutes each day to focus on just you, make sure you plan for that self-care or fun activity.

5. Build the habit.

Over time, when you regularly start to see the benefits of planning your week ahead, you’ll find it one of the most enjoyable parts of your week!

However, how do you build the habit of planning in the first place?

Consistency is key – and setting up your environment to make it as easy as possible to sit down to use your planner every day.

Perhaps you could have your planner open in the kitchen, on your desk or in another central location in the house where you’ll always see it?

You might even need to set a reminder on your phone at first to remind you to look at your planner! Look, whatever works for you is fine.

The Habit Plan

Thank you so much, Mim! I absolutely LOVED all of her ideas to find more ways to plan your week to be more productive! Didn’t you?

She also wants to share with you her monthly program “The Habit Plan” which can really help you get your planning and organization under control!

As a member of The Habit Plan, you’ll be invited to monthly planning sessions to help you get organized, get unstuck, and achieve your goals.

Planning your week ahead will usually take no more than 15 minutes every week and just a few minutes each day to see what needs to be done and check off your lists.

The benefits of being more organized are limitless – so why not give it a try and start planning your week ahead right now!

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About the Author

Mim Jenkinson helps busy women to get creative and have fun with planning and organization!

Her blog, www.lovefrommim.com is a place to learn realistic steps, strategies and routines to create long-lasting, positive habits you’ll stick to.

Mim is a fun-loving, stationery-obsessed, married Aussie/Brit mother of two kids and they live in NSW, Australia. (And the world’s biggest Outlander fan!).

When she’s not organizing her home or writing a hundred lists, Mim loves building her online business, listening to podcasts, dancing around the kitchen to country music, enjoying outdoor walks, and meditating daily.

How to Plan Your Week to be Productive