“What did I do last week?” Or, “Where did the time go?” Do you ever feel like there simply is not enough time in the week to get everything that you want to do accomplished? Do you feel stressed out when a new week approaches?

Stress and dread usually happens when you go through the week without a plan. If you don’t know what to do and when you will be working on it, the chances of it happening are very slight. Planning your week gives you time and space to figure out how you’re going to fit everything in.

We are sharing 5 steps that hat will show you how to plan your week in a way that will help you focus on what’s important so you can be more efficient and effective with your time.

Step 1: Review larger plans

Review your monthly priorities and plans and make a note of any appointments or events that you need to plan.

Step 2: Make a to-do list

Make a list of all the little things you need and want to do this week. This list can range from large projects to tasks such as buyin a birthday gift. Go through the list and see if something can be moved to another week if it’s not urgent now.

Step 3: Set priorities right

Use your list to find out what needs to be done this week. Label or mark these tasks as your weekly priorities. You should keep your weekly priority list on 3-7 items.

Step 4: Formulate action steps

Make a list of bulleted action steps for each priority in your to-do list. Think of steps to take to complete your priorities or even just getting started.

Step 5: Make your weekly schedule

Find out which of your priority tasks you will be working on each day of the week. Assign each priority from your list to a specific day.
If it works for your schedule, group similar tasks together. For each day of the week, select the “one big thing” that needs to be done. This will help you stay focused.

Sometimes your priorities change for each day even after you’ve planned them out. This is just life. As much as possible, try to stick to the plan that you have set yourself.

Before you start planning your week, make sure you have all the tools you need to keep up to date. The Weekly Planner Notebook or the Memos Organization Notebook are the perfect companions for you.