There are four weeks most people have in just one week. The one they plan, the actual week they experience, the week they remember having and the week they wish they had.
Top achievers have made it a habit of implicitly designing their ideal work week on purpose so that all four line up back into one.
The challenge for most people in achieving what they want is they don’t really do a good job of planning their week. Sure, they write stuff down in their calendar and to do lists. However, they don’t design their ideal week, based on their core strengths, enabling them to maximize their potential.
Here are five things you can do to build your winning week and stay focused to get more done. You can remember them by the acronym RAISE… as in let’s RAISE your game.
Rhythms – Come to understand your own rhythms throughout your days of the week. Are you an early bird versus a late cat? Does it take you the better part of Monday to get out of first gear or are you the person that has accomplished more by 10am than most do all day. Do you check out by early Friday or are you getting dialed in as others are leaving for the weekend? Notice where, when and how your energy shows up. Place your most important work activities in your week where you tend to have the most energy.
Areas of Focus – Taking into account your rhythms, notice the 5 key areas on which you need to keep your focus to grow your business. An example might be Marketing Monday, Touch-base Tuesday, Working Wednesday, Thinking Thursday, Follow up Friday. These are broad enough categories that can contain the key elements of your business building activities.
This way, when things come at you throughout your week, you can redirect them to that particular day where you can focus accordingly rather than getting distracted by the interruption. Unless an item is mission critical to being completed the actual day it comes at you, redirect it to your appropriate focus day. If something comes at you on Thursday and it is marketing oriented you can park it out on next Monday’s calendar to give it the energy on Marketing Monday when you are in that mindset.
Touch base Tuesday is perhaps where you may want to load up your day for prospecting calls and drop-ins so you can get it done and direct your energy elsewhere the rest of the week.
Inspiration – Notice what goes on in your office or community that you can make yourself available to that will inspire you to be at your best. Pay attention to when you are experiencing more joy and feeling good about yourself and your work. Success leaves clues. When you are “in spirit” you are inspired. Notice what evokes your inspiration and be sure to build it into your week so you’ll have it when you need it.
Seasons – Be aware of the seasons within your business and within which your business operates. Based on the type of business you run, you may have 4 – 6 types of ideal weeks you might plug into based on what season you’re operating.
Economy aside, you may have an entirely different ideal week for the winter season if you are in the construction business in Nevada City versus in Palm Springs. Work with your seasons so they can work for you.
Environment – Observe your physical surroundings where you operate along with your business tools and resources within those environments. Does it all support you in getting the most out of yourself? Perhaps on one Thinking Thursday a month you need to get out of the office and get in creation mode or problem solving mode to better serve your business.
Be mindful in designing a structured ideal work week into which you can direct your typical tasks so that you can bring your best to those particular activities.
Make it up, make it fun & make it happen!