How to have a productive week – 13 Simple Tips

Whenever a new week starts, I sit down, ponder, procrastinate and then think about how I can have a productive week. As a procrastinator by nature, it almost always takes me a moment before I can start with my day because I am never sure where to start with my unending list of tasks. This is why I make a point of dedicating an entire day {like Sunday} to putting together some sort of plan so that I can have a productive week. It took a long time for me to create a plan that fostered good habits that I now utilise in my day to day life and allows me to complete tasks.

Apart from being a procrastinator, I am a to-do list orientated person and I have this ingrained nature that forces me to complete items of my list. Whenever I complete items from my list I feel as though I can do just about anything in this world and it is why I always recommend writing down a to-do list before the start of your day. There obviously times when I complete tasks that are not even on my to-do list, in those instances I add the items at the end of the day and tick them off as accomplished.

The aim of this post is to share 13 simple ways that you can also have a more productive week and complete items that need to be completed. 

How to have a productive week –  13 simple tips

There is no truer statement in the corporate world than ‘time is money’ it therefore pays to have a plan in place to utilise your time accordingly. As a procrastinator by nature, it took a huge mind shift on my part to be in a place where I spend less time procrastinating and more time accomplishing the goals that I set. I personally believe the change in mindset went a long way to helping me focus my time on important things than daydreaming about things I should accomplish. 

Just to reiterate, it takes time to move from a procrastinator to a doer, give yourself time to evolve. But if you’re ready to change and smash those goals and tasks that have been pending for a long time, then read on to learn 13 simple tips that can help you have a productive week.

Write down a to-do list

The first thing I do every Sunday evening is sit down and write down goals that I want to accomplish whether at home or at work. For work it involves checking through previous e-mails, writing down daily tasks and make note of any pending deadlines. Each week this list is different but one thing that never change is the flexibility that I allow for each weekly list. The flexibility allows for me to be able to manage urgent requests that might come up without neglecting daily tasks and any pending deadlines.

Highlight your important tasks for the week

On top of writing a to-do list, I have a habit of highlight important tasks for the week, things that can not be moved to another week when urgent tasks crop up. I am a visual person in that I want to have important tasks highlighted and animated in front of me whilst other tasks are ok to be in a dull colour. Highlighting important tasks also helps you to focus on the important tasks that needs to be completed first because as a procastinator it can be hard to just pick a task that you should start with.

Plan your outfits for the week

This may not be applicable to those who wear uniforms for work but if you do not then Sunday is a great time to plan your outfits for the week. There are times where is better to plan your outfit the night before rather than the week before but I have found having an idea of what I want to throughout the week saves me a lot of time in the morning. Simple things like planning your outfit in advance truly makes a difference in the morning especially on days you’re running late.

Follow your morning routine 

I don’t know about you but if I do not follow my morning routine there is a huge chance that the day will be derailed. It is important for me to have some sort of routine to give me direction for the day and often my routine is very simple. Wake up before 6.30, meditate/yoga, make the bed, shower, have breakfast, review the day’s to-do list and then start my day. These are simple things but are an important part of how I start my day and often dictate how the rest of my day will flow.

Fortify your bedtime routine

Just as the morning routine is important, the bedtime routine is just as important and needs to be adhered to. When I shared my updated bedtime routine, I mentioned how I start to wind down around 18.00, this is important for me as an insomniac. I appreciate that this is not possible for everyone but personally I have noticed an improved sleep when I start to wind down early. I follow my bedtime routines religiously as I value my sleep, if I don’t insomnia is always around to keep me company.

Plan your week

Everyone plans for the week differently, personally I start with planning my to-do list and outfits for the rest of the week. Whilst I don’t have much of a social life, I think it is important to plan this too. Whenever I am planning my week I ensure to include how many visits I can make to the gym. I have noticed on the days I work out and follow my bedtime routine religiously I can enjoy a good nice sleep in turn have a more productive day.

Meal plan

Many years ago, meal planning for me was cooking a huge pot of my favourite recipe and diving it into 7 pots to have at lunch. This quickly became a fail because I got bored with having the same meals every single day even when I switched up the side dishes. Of late, my meal planning has changed dramatically, now I order recipe boxes and vegetable boxes. Each day I enjoy delicious meals each to make melas that I make either in the morning or the night before.

Plan and review your finances for the week

Planning and reviewing my finances for the week isn’t something that I normally do on a monthly basis only but lately I have realised the importance of weekly checks. If all your bills are on direct debit but have a slight spending problem like me then I would recommend you check your finances weekly and plan accordingly.

Social media detox

As a blogger it can be touch sometimes to switch off your devices for the day and not checked your blog nor your socials but I have realised the importance of having a social media detox. Sunday personally is easier for me to practise social media detox and just binge watch my favourite movies instead. It is refreshing not to be sucked into the vortex of social media and find you’ve lost hours of your day.

Plan your workouts

Workouts are an important part of my wellbeing and therefore I make a point of ensure I plan them accordingly. I know personally that I have zero motivation to workout alone and at home, I there attend gym classes and this requires me to plan them either around my work, before or after.

Keep healthy snacks at your desk

I am a snacker, there is never a moment my fingers are not dipping into something for me to munch on throughout the day. It has become even more apparent in the last couple of years that having snacks near me stops me from having to leave my work to go acquire more. Snacking is a big problem for most of us because we all reach for the unhealthy types, with my mindset shift, it has become easier to pack healthier snacks than before.

Clean out your bag every Sunday

Every Sunday I make a point of cleaning out my bag especially if I know that I want to change to a different bag for work for the new week. There is nothing like having a clean bag and knowing exactly what you have in your bag. Women’s bag almost always has more things than we need and it is therefore important to clean it out as often as possible.

Review and track the progress of your goals

As a to-do list and goal orientated person, there is nothing I love more than setting my goals for the week or month. But what considers with that is reviewing and tracking my goals on a weekly basis. Not only do I monitor my progress but it allows me to either add more goals or re-adjust current goals in case I am off track.

Having a productive week can be as easy as 1-2-3 and with the right mindset you can accomplish more. I am a procrastinator by nature but with a changed mindset I am able to put procrastination on hold, smash my goals and to-do lists and then let my mind wander in the clouds.