There are many different approaches to planning our week.
None of these are “right”.
The key is to find the method that is “right” for you.
I have an idea of using the questions – what, why, when, and how – to help prioritize.
Start with What
What is already on your calendar for the week ahead?
What overlaps can you easily eliminate?
What projects and deliverables are due?
What project would you like to advance outside of deadlines next week?
Why and Who
Once you have a list of what, ask why and who.
Why do you need to be at each event on the calendar?
If you don’t need to be there, decline.
Asking why for the projects, deadlines, and deliverables will set priorities.
The who will determine if you are the one who is best suited for the meeting or deliverable.
Could you delegate the work to someone else?
When and How
Now that you have a shorter list of meetings and project priorities, detailed plans can happen.
When are the blocks of time you can get the work done?
How will you approach the assignments?
This is where you can consider breaking the project into smaller pieces.
These small pieces make the big tasks more manageable (and less daunting).
You see the roadmap for completion across the week.
Your Turn
How do you plan your week?
Have you tried planning with who, what, when, why, and how?
Do you think this method might work for you?