We're going full productivity-advice this week.

This post is for you if you keep getting to the end of a week and you never actually managed to do the things that you wanted to do at the start of the week. If that feels familiar, it probably isn't because you are not trying hard or putting in the hours, it is because you don't have a system to help you run your week.

If you prefer your information in video form you can watch a version of this on my YouTube channel.

Ten Techniques That Actually Work

One: Do a Weekly Review. Same time every Friday. Just 15-30 minutes rearrange your backlog of tasks, remind yourself of what you have (and have not done) and to set plans for the next week.

Two: Plan the Week, Not the Day. A day is to short to allow adaptation if things go wrong. Decide three things you must achieve before the end of the week. Everything else is optional.

Three: Front-Load the Important. Most people's energy and focus degrades through the week. So, prioritise the most important stuff on Monday and Tuesday.

Four: Theme Your Days. Context switching between different types of tasks is inefficient and hugely taxing on the brain. So, if you can, keep blocks of time for specific types of task. Have days with no meetings.

Five: Set Work-In-Progress Limits. It is better to finish three things in a week than to start ten. So, maintain a backlog of work you have to do, but only have a maximum of three things on the go at one time. When you finish one, take another off the backlog.

Six: Periodise the Week. No athlete tries to go flat out everyday. Neither should you. Have days that are intentionally slower. Conserve energy for the times when you have to push.

Seven: Protect the White Space. Don't completely fill your calendar with productivity. Protect some time for deliberate decompression. And hold some time as a buffer for when things go wrong, which they will.

Eight: Use Implementation Intentions. This is one of the most robust findings in behaviour change. Don't say "I will do the report next week". Say, "I will write the report at 9am on Tuesday at my kitchen table." This doubles the liklihood you will actually do it.

Nine: The Shutdown Ritual. At the end of each week, acknowledge work unfinished and decide what the next step is and when you will take it. This helps you to close open loops in your head and rest over the weekend. Bonus points for a ritual: put your laptop in a drawer, tidy your desk etc.

Ten: The Friday Verdict. Ask yourself a simple question, "Did I spend my time on the things that matter?" If not, don't be hard on yourself. Just improve your system for next week.

How to Use This

If these ideas are new to you, don't try to implement them all in one go. Just pick two. The one that you think you need the most and the one you are most likely to do. Then, make a commitment to do them at a specific time in a specific place and put it in your calendar.

If you want some extra accountability, hit reply and tell me what you plan to do.

What I'm Working On

Everything in this post is a summarised version of a talk I gave to my clients in our regular group session on Friday. When we're together we're able to discuss these ideas, learn from and support one another.

This week the them is going to be How to Actually Finish Things.

If you want to find out more about my coaching, our group and how it might help you, hit the button below for a no-obligation conversation.