Planning is the cornerstone of success. You need to know how to plan your week, month, year, etc.
Whenever I don’t plan ahead, I get on the ‘procrastination station’. You are basically setting yourself up for disaster if you don’t plan.
Today we will be focussing on how to plan your week to be productive. This will be a short and sweet 5-step guide that will take you less than 20 minutes. As we all know, time is as valuable as money.
I have compiled all of these steps/tips from my own personal experience of trial and error. Therefore, I swear by it.
Oh, and I also threw in a fun, free template! So be sure to catch that before clicking off the page.
This post might contain affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you purchase an item through them.
How to plan your week to be productive
1. Decide on a platform
A lot of people, myself included, have fallen into the trap of ‘overplanning’. In this case, it is when you plan on multiple platforms.
I planned in a variety of ways at the same time and it was utter chaos! Since then I narrowed down my planning tools and it has made the world’s difference.
I recommend you use only 1 or 2 platforms. Personally, I like having a digital and paper platform to plan, respectively.
These platforms could include:
- Diaries
- Printable templates (find the free template at the end of this article)
- Desk calendars
- Bullet journals
- Google Calendar
- Notion
- Trello
- And many more
Quick tip: If you are prone to procrastination (as I am) I would recommend you stay away from creative platforms. I love Notion and have used it for a long time as well as bullet journals. However, I would get caught up in making it pretty and not actually doing any planning *facepalm*. Now I only use Notion at the start of the year to lay out my goals visually.
2. Start with a rough draft
If you jump into planning before knowing what needs to be done, it can, once again, lead to overplanning.
Overplanning seems to be a core subject in this article… Probably because I bumped my head against that rock one too many times.
A to-do list is an easy way to plan your week.
This is the part where I use my paper ‘platform’ as I mentioned above. I would scribble down a rough to-do list on a blank piece of paper. It does not need to be perfect. It can include anything from an assignment that is due to washing the bedding.
Once that list is complete, you need to prioritize it. Rank your tasks from most important to least important. It is a useful way to avoid procrastination and plan your week to be productive.
I have a great article on “4 Ways to Beat Procrastination: How to Slay Laziness” on my blog if you are interested!
3. Set a goal for the week
I LOVE goals, if you have not noticed by now.
Set a goal or two for each week. I would recommend not exceeding three goals. But be sure to make them ‘smart goals’.
By that I mean, your weekly goals (or at least one of them) should correlate with your major end goals.
For instance, if your main goal is to finish writing a book by the end of 2023 (I could only dream), then your weekly goal could be to write a certain amount of chapters or words each week.
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4. Plan your week
Finally, you can plan your week.
Personally, I scribble it into my paper diary first before using Google Calendar for a neat final draft. But that is just personal preference.
Firstly, schedule any set dates. Examples are appointments, due dates, birthdays, etc.
Secondly, order all the other tasks on your to-do list into your planner. Remember to start with the top of your list since you prioritized it.
Tip: You can add a goal tracker to your planner as well as a meal planner/grocery list to plan your week etc. I have an ultimate planning guide coming soon that will include these things and more.
5. Make use of time blocking
This is a technique I can use more, to be honest.
Time blocking is the practice of allocating a certain time to complete a task. For example, from 10 am to 12 pm, you must work on your paper that is due, etc.
It is a proven method to enhance your productivity when planning. It is also a way to keep yourself accountable.
My recommendation: If you are not using this method, I would recommend starting slow. Be lenient with your time and rather assign too much time than too little. When I first attempted this I cramped too many things into a time frame which only led to anxiety and self-loathing. Start slow and learn what your pace is.
Conclusion
Plan your week and set yourself up for success. It is much more crucial than you might think.
Use these 5-steps and let me know what worked for you and what didn’t.
Grab this free template and start planning! I kept it black and white so that it is easier to print for everyone. Sign up for my newsletter for even more freebies!
Have fun and I’ll see you guys next week!
Lots of love ♥
Coffee with Steph
