For many of us we all have a lot going on in a work week, and it is easy to become overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done. You may feel as though you don’t know where to start or you might miss a deadline because you either didn’t start a project or you forgot to put it on your to-do list… but it is normal to make mistakes sometimes!
Here are some tips to help you prepare for your week ahead:
Plan:
To start somewhere you should write down everything you need to do in the coming week whether it is a small task, regular meetings or a big project. Planning is important because it helps you to use your time in the most efficient way, it is a realistic way to see how much you can get done and how much time you have to do this. At the end of the week, you will feel accomplished knowing that you completed the tasks that you set out to do.
Prioritise:
Your next job is to prioritise all your tasks, although this may be unavoidable for some on your list such as meetings or calls it is down to you to prioritise the rest. Being able to master prioritisation can drastically change the way you work… as it can improve your productivity and time management and even help with work-life balance as you will not be stressing that you have not done everything on your list.
Schedule:
Now you have planned and prioritised the next step is to make a schedule. By creating this you will be able to look back at it throughout the week to see if you are on track, this will help you keep focused and ‘on task’. Remember… schedule yourself regular breaks so you feel refreshed and refocused when you return to what you are doing.
Stick to it:
Although it might seem easy, the hardest thing to do is sticking to it! It might not be possible to follow everything on your schedule as things do change but try to stick to it as much as possible. It may seem a challenge at first but when you are used to this you will find that you are a lot more productive and motivated.
Most of the time situations like these can be avoided by planning out your week rather than taking it day by day… it is important to make sure you control your work and you don’t let your work take over you.