How to Have a Productive Workweek
Limit the number of your plans., Focus hard on one thing only and don’t give up easily., List your progress and reflect on it at the end of the week., If you feel stuck, communicate the problem., Say no., Plan your next week on Friday., Focus on...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Limit the number of your plans.
Start by planning your weekly activities.
While planning, limit the number of items you need to achieve. It’s crucial to focus on what’s important and to do those selected things really well. -
Step 2: Focus hard on one thing only and don’t give up easily.
Too much choice is bad, since it will make you choose the small and easy-to-accomplish tasks, not important strategic ones.
What is more, achieving many small goals gives us an illusion of progress.
At the same time multitasking lowers IQ by 10 points and kills productivity by 40%, according to Harvard Business Review.
Therefore, focus hard on one task and don't finish until it's done. , Each week list your progress by asking:
Was what you did important and worth one full week of work? During the week, whenever something gets done, don’t just delete it or tick it as done, but write it down as progress.
On Friday, look at your progress list and study each item. , If you get stuck, don't procrastinate, but communicate the problem. Ask for help from your manager, your team mates, advisors or anyone else. , You need to picky, rather than nice.
Just because you can do something, doesn't automatically mean you have to do it.
Leave out unimportant things.
Do only the big things. , Planning your next week on Friday reduces stress level on Mondays and keeps your mind clear and focused during the weekend. , Whenever possible, focus on results and measurable data.
This will reflect what is working and what might not be worth the while. This way it will be much easier to declare a goal accomplished and move on to next big weekly objective. , When working in a team, try to keep everyone in the loop with your progress. Expect the others to do the same.
Whenever a challenge comes up, share that as well.
It helps both with getting feedback from others as well as keeping the team on the same page. , People who have different responsibilities can divide their week into 5 days of different work areas.
Then stick to them each week.
Communicate your days’ focus to your co-workers as well. , You would not want others to disturb you and waste your time.
Being interrupted, be it via e-mail or meetings, is an annoying waste of time in any team.
Be nice to others and whenever possible, do not e-mail or IM them, do not call for another meeting.
Use a team collaboration software to get the process going. -
Step 3: List your progress and reflect on it at the end of the week.
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Step 4: If you feel stuck
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Step 5: communicate the problem.
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Step 6: Say no.
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Step 7: Plan your next week on Friday.
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Step 8: Focus on outcomes and results
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Step 9: not on process or actions.
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Step 10: Share plans with others and let them know what you’re working on.
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Step 11: Divide your week into regular functional area days.
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Step 12: Don’t overload others with information.
Detailed Guide
Start by planning your weekly activities.
While planning, limit the number of items you need to achieve. It’s crucial to focus on what’s important and to do those selected things really well.
Too much choice is bad, since it will make you choose the small and easy-to-accomplish tasks, not important strategic ones.
What is more, achieving many small goals gives us an illusion of progress.
At the same time multitasking lowers IQ by 10 points and kills productivity by 40%, according to Harvard Business Review.
Therefore, focus hard on one task and don't finish until it's done. , Each week list your progress by asking:
Was what you did important and worth one full week of work? During the week, whenever something gets done, don’t just delete it or tick it as done, but write it down as progress.
On Friday, look at your progress list and study each item. , If you get stuck, don't procrastinate, but communicate the problem. Ask for help from your manager, your team mates, advisors or anyone else. , You need to picky, rather than nice.
Just because you can do something, doesn't automatically mean you have to do it.
Leave out unimportant things.
Do only the big things. , Planning your next week on Friday reduces stress level on Mondays and keeps your mind clear and focused during the weekend. , Whenever possible, focus on results and measurable data.
This will reflect what is working and what might not be worth the while. This way it will be much easier to declare a goal accomplished and move on to next big weekly objective. , When working in a team, try to keep everyone in the loop with your progress. Expect the others to do the same.
Whenever a challenge comes up, share that as well.
It helps both with getting feedback from others as well as keeping the team on the same page. , People who have different responsibilities can divide their week into 5 days of different work areas.
Then stick to them each week.
Communicate your days’ focus to your co-workers as well. , You would not want others to disturb you and waste your time.
Being interrupted, be it via e-mail or meetings, is an annoying waste of time in any team.
Be nice to others and whenever possible, do not e-mail or IM them, do not call for another meeting.
Use a team collaboration software to get the process going.
About the Author
Michelle Watson
A passionate writer with expertise in lifestyle topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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