8 Simple Things You Can Do for a Productive Week!

Chloe Delaunay

The way you plan and start your week has a huge impact on how the rest of it follows. I know for me if I start the week without having planned my diary I get a lot less done than if I have a solid plan in place and know when I should be doing certain activities. I also find it really affects my focus and productivity.

Here’s a few things you can do to keep your week on track and to make sure it is as productive as you want it to be:

 

‘Chunking’

Make a list of everything you need to get done and group similar items together. This is an idea Tony Robbins calls ‘chunking’. Working on similar tasks together allows you to be more focussed as you enter into the right mindset for the things you need to get done. I find this a really effective way of working.

 

Plan Out your Week

Once I have chunked together my weekly tasks I then put them in to my diary in sections. I know that I have many commitments during the week; planning, paperwork, seeing clients, kids, keeping the cupboards full and getting dinner on the table etc. and so it’s important for me to plan when I’m going to do what. Knowing that I have everything accounted for in my week allows me to forget about everything else other than the task I should be working on right now. It may sound mad but colour coding is very helpful so I can see what my week looks like at a glance.

 

Go Offline

During my working day if I’m not speaking with clients I go offline. We all know how easy it is to get distracted by Facebook, Twitter or an interesting article on the internet which is why closing any app that can distract you from the task at hand is essential for productivity.

 

Find your Spot

If you work from home like me it’s incredibly important to find yourself a quiet, calm and comfortable place to work. It’s very distracting to work amongst the unwashed breakfast pots, the piles of ironing and the bottomless washing basket. Do you have a space you can switch off from the outside chaos and really concentrate?

 

Streamline

Save time by implementing systems that automate repetitive tasks, schedule meetings etc. Another method of streamlining is having specific times for checking emails, perhaps once in the morning and once towards the end of the working day. It is too easy to get sucked in to answering emails throughout the day hence taking you away from the tasks you had previously committed to.

Start Early

Learn to be an early riser- the earlier you get started the more you get done. I recently decided that I’d set my alarm a little earlier each day and get some extra time for professional development- to read or listen to audiobooks before my kids get up and the madness begins. Having this time in the morning to work on development takes this out of my work schedule meaning I have more time for work!

 

Plan your Meals

Planning the week’s meals, the shopping list and batch cooking is a huge time saver meaning you have more time to be productive or for the other things you enjoy doing outside of work.

 

Have a Productive Mindset

Start the week with a productive mindset, know your goals and what you need to get done, don’t allow overwhelm to set in, be positive and focussed and once you start ticking off your completed items your mindset will just keep getting better and better. A positive mindset pushes us all forward and allows for higher-yielding results!

 

Have a go at implementing a few of these and see your productivity soar!

Have a great and productive week!

 

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