We’ve all been there: you get to the end of a long, long week, look back at all you’ve accomplished… and still feel underwhelmed.
In some previous positions, my days were filled with meetings. And not just my days—entire weeks were consumed by meetings (and the tasks assigned in those meetings).
I worked hard. I was constantly busy. By the end of the week, I could barely keep my eyes open on the commute home. But when I looked at the projects that meant the most to me, it felt like I wasn’t making progress. I was stuck.
What gives?
It didn’t seem fair. I was checking off to-dos left and right; I was accessible and responsive, putting out fires as soon as they sparked; I downed countless cups of coffee to fuel every minute of work.
On paper, it seemed like I was productive.
But I wasn’t quite satisfied with my progress. As I thought forward to the next week, I found myself thinking about the same goals as the previous week.
Here’s the problem:
I was busy, but I wasn’t productive.
Going to meeting after meeting, tackling to-do lists a mile long—I figured if I could finish the tasks others asked of me quickly, that meant I was being productive. After all, I was doing things—in a very literal sense, I was constantly getting things done.
But were these the right things? Were they the tasks that would have the greatest impact on my life, my career, my business?
The real issue is that I was reacting to what other people wanted rather than acting based on my own priorities.
When I made a simple shift at the beginning of my weeks, everything changed.
There’s a simple task that has the power to transform your entire week. I’ve noticed a remarkable improvement in my week-to-week productivity whenever I put this into practice—and a notable deficit when I don’t.
Set your priorities first—for the entire week.
Instead of being driven by what other people want or need, figure out what’s most important for you to do and focus on that.
Every Sunday evening, spend thirty minutes planning the week ahead.
Ask yourself: what are the one or two most important things I could do this week? What are the items that will really move my business or career forward? What, if I get it done, will allow me to look back at my week and feel good about the progress I’ve made?
Then, block out time on this week’s calendar to get those action items done. Make an appointment with yourself—and keep it.
If you need to, move around other items and appointments. After all, what you’re insert-ing are the most important tasks for the week. By definition, these should take priority over anything else on your calendar. Sometimes, to make space for those tasks, I simply stopped going to meetings that I didn’t need to attend, or I would send a delegate.
Alternatively, you can block out the same time slots in your calendar every week to ensure that you always have time for your most crucial projects. Then, fill those slots with specific tasks during your Sunday planning.
Imagine the possibilities.
This simple strategy—taking thirty minutes to set priority tasks—shifts my productivity dramatically, week after week. The result is cumulative: when I get my priority tasks done one week, it opens up more possibilities of what can be accomplished the next week.
Imagine your possibilities: what could your business look like after one productive week? After four? After fifty-two?
It all starts with one.
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