Episode #13: The 1 Organizational Trick That Will Change Your Week

Do you start every week with big plans to get stuff done, but then look back on your week at the end of it all and wonder ‘where did the week go?’ and ‘what exactly did I accomplish this week anyways?’, or do Mondays roll around and you consistently feel overwhelmed, not sure where to start, and like you just want to go back to bed?  If this sounds all too familiar, chances are this one organizational tip I’m going to teach you today will make all the difference.

Today’s personal growth topic is a simple organizational skill that will help you get your shiz together during the week, consistently move the needle forward, and be able to finish each week and not ask yourself what exactly did I do this week.  

Today’s lesson?  How to spend 20 minutes organizing and planning your upcoming week on Sunday nights.  Now I know this sounds simple, but the question is, do you actually do this consistently?  Looking ahead at your week and planning out the important stuff is the key to not letting time slip by you week after week, without getting where you want to go.  I’m going to walk you through a quick 6 step process for planning your week on Sunday evenings that will change the way you do things, and help you reset, get organized, and get back on track every week.  

First things first, if you don’t have a calendar or day planner, or some sort of visual system to plan your time, you need to change that!  A visual calendar or planner will keep you from dropping balls left right and center, and will help you keep track of time so it doesn’t seem to 

‘Slip’ quite as much.  This system can be as detailed or as simple as you like.  Experiment to find what works best for you, but the key here is to be consistent with your method once you choose it.  I use a combination of an online calendar on my computer that lets me see the month as a whole, as well as a moleskin notebook I’ve turned into a bullet journal that helps me break down my time week by week, write out my tasks for each day, and keep notes information etc all in one place to help me stay organized.

Step 1: Write down and schedule in all your upcoming meetings, & appointments for the week.  

These are the things that you really can’t miss, either work or personal, but things with a specific start time that you need to be there for that you can’t afford to just let ‘slip’ out of your head and forget about.  I schedule things like this into my online calendar as they come up and are scheduled, and then transfer them into the notebook each week so I can see day by day what has to happen when I open it up each day.

Step 2: Schedule time for 1-3 major tasks for the week.

Think about the big major tasks that have to happen this week, and to schedule in time for them.  I try to choose between 1-3 major things that need to happen, for me this means business building things, whether that’s content creation, marketing plans, advertising materials, finishing major client projects etc. These are all things that I have the flexibility to work on on my own schedule, but that really need to happen for me to a) meet due dates and b) work towards progressing and moving ahead with my businesses over time.  

Now the key here is to be realistic about how much time it will take you to work on each of these major items.  I always think I’ll be faster than I actually am, and usually have to end up cutting down on what I plan to do in order to not drive myself nuts. That’s why I recommend choosing only 1-3 major tasks that need to happen each week.  

Once you’ve chosen your big needle moving jobs, you need to schedule in time for them, and this time is sacred.  Barring any major fires that come up that need your attention, nothing can get in the way of your time to work on these tasks.  Don’t book meetings during this time, don’t take calls or drop ins’, and don’t distract yourself with fiddly little tasks that are easier to complete than the big jobs, but that really get you nowhere.  Also, strategically book your time for these tasks.  Personally, I work way better in the morning, I’m more creative, more focused, faster, and generally just a more useful person in the mornings.  So I start work early, and pretty much immediately get to work on my big tasks for the week during this time.

Step 3: Schedule in your physical activity for the week.

Whether this means registering for workout classes you’re going to take, sourcing out a friend for a hiking date, or simply writing in your at home workout plan for the week, this can look like anything really.  

The important part is that if physical activity is something you identify as an important part of your week and overall well being, then you have to schedule it in to make sure it happens sometimes.  I also like to look at the forecast to make sure I’m planning something outdoors on days where the weather looks great for whatever the activity is.  Block off time for your movement routine in advance, and write it into your planner so you don’t ‘forget’ or get overwhelmed by the day and end up consistently missing your activity.  

Step 4: Plan in your social and rest time.

I find I have to plan in social time to make sure it actually happens, otherwise I can go weeks with my head down in my work and not take any time to rejuvenate with friends.  Maybe social time is something that happens naturally for you, if you work in a social office, or live with friends as roommates, but at this point in time in my life, it’s an important chill out activity that ironically I need to schedule in.  

Step 5: Schedule in a few small tasks that are quick and easy to complete.

Step 5 is my favourite step, and that’s to look at your ‘master task’ list and schedule in a few little jobs, projects, or chores that are easy to complete, need to happen or will help you immensely if they happen, and will take minimal time but allow you to move ahead when they happen. 

A ‘master task list’ is like an epic and endlessly updated to-do list where you can write all the fiddly little things that need to get done eventually, but don’t really count as being big ticket items.  This list is constantly changing and includes work tasks, personal tasks, house tasks, anything really.  Anytime you find yourself saying ‘Oh I need to remember to do this or that little thing’ don’t just try and remember it, just put it on the list and write it down in your week plan whenever and wherever it fits really.  This list is actually a real game changer if you feel constantly forgetful about silly little tasks.  

So, I unfold my master list from my planner, give it a quick scan, cross off anything that I’ve done or that doesn’t need to happen anymore, and then pick a few items from the list to make happen in the upcoming week.  Again, just pick a few, and don’t cram your time with these little tasks, you’ll get them done eventually if you just chip away at them, and it gives you a nice little rush of accomplishment to finish these small action items in between working on larger projects.

Step 6: Make sure you haven’t over scheduled yourself

This is one of the most important parts of this process, and that’s to look through the plan you’ve just made for the upcoming week and make sure you haven’t over scheduled yourself.  I don’t know about you, but when I cram every minute full of tasks and chores and action items, I usually end up getting lost and off track, because life happens, things come up you need to deal with, tasks take longer than expected

It’s important to make sure you’ve left yourself free time for changes in schedule, new projects, emails that take more time than they should, or just the ability to be a bit flexible.  Some days you just might not have the focus to work on your big tasks, and will need to bump them to later in the week.  That’s okay.  Friends or family are going to need you, the sun will come out and you’ll just have to go for a walk, your computer will freeze on the spinny wheel of death and derail your afternoon.  Don’t make your week a house of cards that will tumble when one thing goes off.  

Step 7. (the secret step)

And then, once you’re done, step 7 is to close your notebook, shut down your calendar, and settle into your evening.  Chill!  You’ve got a plan for what’s going to happen this week and you don’t have to waste valuable brain space on it anymore.  You’ve scheduled your meetings and jobs, planned out your big tasks, made a plan to exercise, be social, and rest, made sure you accomplish some smaller life tasks that will make your day better, and made sure that you haven’t become a scheduling maniac and overwhelmed yourself.  

Now you won’t feel lost, overwhelmed, and confused about what do start with on Monday morning, you won’t accidentally forget to hop on a call, and you’ll have scheduled in things to look forward to that are going to perk you up and keep you going when you hit those workday slog times.  

This is a great system to stay organized, keep tabs on what you’re working towards, and to reset when you inevitably have a crummy time of it sometimes and need something to get you back on track.  

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