Have you ever considered how many hours of work one always wastes on multitasking during work time or the small task that one might engage in? All these are the reasons why people lose attention or focus during work hours. As we all know that after any distraction on a work schedule, it has to take you some minutes to regain focus which at the end of your work session you will come to realize how much time you have wasted.
Although to-do lists have been hugely popular for years, a very big number has now replaced their list with more structured weekly plans and this is because lists don’t just work for them anymore because:
· This is because some people don’t have a good system on how to prioritize the items on the list.
· Some get overwhelmed by looking at all the things they have to do.
· Others might also have a feeling that they are continuously adding to their list rather than reducing it.
People need to know the power of weekly planning which lies in the perspective and the control that it provides for work. If one sets aside an hour each week, then I consider that not much, but besides, you need to see that the investment is phenomenal hence leading to a good time switching those lists for a good weekly plan. Below is a good explanation of what a work plan is and the reason why we need a work plan.
What is a work plan?
This is a visual map of your to-do lists that helps you stay much more organized while working on your tasks. With a work plan, you will be able to be more organized and encouraged more so on what you want to achieve and break the week into smaller parts making everything flow easier for you. You can relate this to a game sport where the managers put out a well-managed strategy that will help the team archive their objectives.
Why do we need a work plan?
With a good work plan, you will come to realize that it is very important in anything regarding work.
1. A work plan will always give you more structure – With this, you will be able to use your time more efficiently which will make you spend less time on regaining focus after being distracted.
2. It will also help you in further visualizing your week- Having a week visualized week your workflow will be much easier. You will be in a position to spread out and prioritize work in a manner that significantly increases how much you can accomplish. In all aspects, weekly planning gets you more work done in a very organized way. Always know that every minute spent in planning saves 10 minutes in execution.
Creating a Work Plan
Here, we are now ready to save hundreds of hours and loads of energy by working much smarter. Below are steps to follow to make your weekly time management plan.
1. Choose your planning tool
Everyone is different and with different preferences on working tools to use depending on their work. Many people will opt for digital tools that will enable them to do their work from anywhere. With so many options from so many simple tools available, everyone needs to find what works best for them. You can check out a list of the best time management software in the market.
2. Plan Your work Regularly
Your weekly plan has to be done every week. That’s the main reason why it is known as a weekly. So, a habit of making it work has to be there. You need to pick a day that you will use to establish your weekly work plan. You can always review your weekly accomplishment and plan ahead for the rest of the week.
3. Get Planning
When planning you need to begin with your bigger goals after that decide on what you want to accomplish in the following weeks to meet those goals. Have in mind that the task you add to your weekly plan should be the one that brings you closer to you achieving your goals.
4. Schedule Everything
After knowing what you want the next week and planning well, schedule your timing. And the best way to ensure you plan a realistic work plan for the week is if you work with your calendar and see if there is time for everything. It is very important if you plan time to complete a task.
Another thing you need to consider is, you need to be careful not to over-schedule your time. You need to leave time for maybe your meetings and any activity you might have apart from work or even times to reflect and think or even any breaks you need.
5. Stick to the Plan
Imagine having done all the work of making your plan and failing not to follow it will be a full waste of time. Ensure you brush over your daily plan every morning before going to work. Go over your plan and make adjustments if needed. If you had a meeting and maybe it gets canceled or if there is any task uncompleted. With all these, you will have a clear understanding of your daily priorities. And always to make sure nothing important falls through the crack, immediately reschedule the tasks that were not completed.
6. Reflect and Repeat
Ensure to look at your plan at the end of every week. Feel encouraged when seeing that you have worked according to your plans and all the tasks are accomplished.
Conclusion
Always remember that planning your weekly work is a learning and continuous process. The longer you do it the better you get at predicting your energy levels. Following the productivity tips and planning accordingly will help you learn to let go of inefficient tasks and projects.
Once the habit of weekly work planning is in you, it will definitely become something you enjoy and look forward to doing. As you consistently plan out your week, you will find yourself motivated and more direct to the production time.