A key tool for us achievers:
Every Friday, at the end of your productive day, take time to reflect on your week. Make this a new productivity habit: do this EVERY FRIDAY, starting THIS FRIDAY. Yes, I know, it’s tough to make yourself do something on a Friday afternoon, after a tough week. Maybe you’re thinking about the weekend, or maybe you’re tying up some loose ends and don’t have time to slow down. Trust me, though, it’s worth it and it won’t take a big amount of time.
This is a secret productivity tip that will give you great results - you’ll see come Monday.
At the end of your work week, take a few minutes to do a mental review of your week, and ask yourself these questions:
What were the top wins of the week?
What made you cheer for yourself? Did you meet important goals, completed important tasks, got a social media shout-out? Write them down, and celebrate them, even if only in your mind. This is not wasting time - this is the beginning of gratitude, and when you’re on the lookout for wins, you’ll find yourself seeking more and finding more.
What hard lessons did you learn this week?
You can’t win them all, but every problem is a chance to learn, and you should be thankful that you learned these lessons. Where did you fall short? Where did you find your skills lacking? Be honest - what problems did you cause or make worse? It’s OK to admit it to yourself - we ALL do it. It’s called “being human”. Make a note of which work habits you may need to adjust to become an even more productive person.
What were you thankful for this week?
Some weeks are harder than others to find something to be grateful for, but there’s ALWAYS something. God did create this good world, so there’s always something good if you look hard enough. Train yourself to look, and you will find it (see “Top wins” above).
Did I care for myself & my family this week?
Achievers and highly productive people tend to neglect their own care. If that sounds familiar, remember there are people counting on you to be here. They really, really want you to be healthy and sane.
Once you finished answering these questions, make adjustments to next week to set yourself up for success!! Maybe you will stop multi-tasking (it actually saves time not to), follow the 80/20 rule, take 5-minute breaks to exercise or meditate…
Finish next week on paper before it starts - you’ll be SHOCKED at what you can achieve!
We can do this!
