4 Steps to a Being More Prepared for the Week Ahead

Starting the week off on a positive note is something everyone, in any role, wants to do. It doesn’t have to be a dream or a mirage; it can be a reality for you each week. Taking a few steps ahead of time can ensure that you set yourself up for a positive week ahead and make it as productive as possible.I have previously written about how planning for the week ahead can make a difference, but here are four more things you can do to ensure you start your week off in the right direction.

Clean up on Friday

Help your ‘Monday self’ out by closing out the week before with your ‘to-do’ list cleared and loose ends tied off. That does not always mean you have to have everything complete. Identify the next steps you can take and plan for when they will get done. By having everything buttoned up on Friday before you leave, you can let your mind relax and not worry about what things haven’t been addressed.Since many leaders in retail do not have the traditional Monday through Friday schedule - this can be whatever your last shift of the week is, so you are setting yourself up for a clean slate when your first shift of the new week occurs.

Get some extra rest

Throughout the week you sometimes (ok, maybe many times) trade some sleep for extra work, travel, or late meetings or dinners. There is an abundance of research that now shows that most adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Even if you do not feel as though you need that much rest, your body is likely suffering when you short yourself the extra rest. Multiple nights of lost sleep has a cumulative effect as well, so while it may not seem like much each night, by the end of the week you may be more than 5 hours short of what your body needs. That will have an impact on both your cognitive skills as well as your physical abilities. It is no wonder those Friday meetings or conference calls seem so much more difficult. To combat this, make time on the weekends, or your days off to catch up and get some extra rest. An hour earlier to bed and an hour later waking up can get you 4 hours back without too much disruption to your weekend schedule. Sneak in a nap, and you can get that lost sleep back and ensure you are at your peak Monday morning.

Enjoy the weekend - stay away from work projects

All work and no play makes everyone dull, overworked, and not at their peak. Ensure you have plans to do something fun on the weekend. It doesn’t always have to be a trip to the mountains or the beach, but disconnect from work and re-connect to friends, family, or hobbies to take your mind away from your Monday through Friday work. I have discovered this has tremendous benefits, even if I do not have big plans, just cutting the grass, going to dinner, or watching a movie at home allows me to relax, reduce my stress, and reset myself. One benefit from this has been new ideas begin flowing when I do re-engage in work activities - the break away for a day or two can be a way to generate original thought patterns, clean out old paradigms, and reenergize about projects I have been working on. Enjoying the weekend isn’t just fun, it’s a way to improve productivity for the week ahead.

Make time on Sunday to review and plan

I have to come back to planning; it is such a critical step in setting yourself up for success. Dedicate 20-40 minutes Sunday afternoon to look at the week ahead. Familiarize yourself with where you left off on Friday, layout the first three things you need to do Monday morning, and schedule any other time-sensitive items for the week. This can help you avoid thinking you need to be in early on Monday morning to get ahead. You don’t want to give back some of that sleep you just caught up on before the week even gets started. You cleaned up on Friday, you’re planning on Sunday, so there is no need to ‘get ahead’ on Monday because you were never behind. You have a plan.You can get your week off on a positive and refreshed start. We all know that a good start is essential to a strong finish. Getting to that point may take some time and practice, but you will find that the benefits are well worth the effort.What will you do differently to ensure that you can start each week in the best possible way? Share your ideas and thoughts in the comments.