You’re aware of the tasks that need to be accomplished for the week. But without a plan, you might end up forgetting important tasks; wasting time on unproductive activities; and procrastinating with projects that you wish you didn’t have to do. In order to get done, as much as possible, in an efficient and orderly manner, you need to plan your week well . 

“A plan without a purpose = frustration;

Purpose without a plan = foolishness;

A plan and a purpose without the power of the Holy Spirit = futility” – Campus Crusade for Christ

“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” Proverbs 21:5

Dave Ramsey, a renowned financial guru, says “a budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.” Similarly, a weekly plan will tell your time where it should go. If you fail to plan, you’ll find that your time will be quickly misused and your most important goals remain an elusive dream. Besides, if you don’t have a plan for your time, you’ll be surprised how many others have a plan for it.

Here are nine helpful pointers to plan your week well:

1) Ask God for wisdom.

I find it very useful to spend some time praying to God to ask him for His wisdom before attempting plans and tasks. You may already have some tasks, but He can give you discernment about areas that need your attention for that particular week. He may draw to your attention a relationship that requires some attention or even a reminder that your driver’s permit needs renewal. Since He knows everything, it’ll be good to include Him.

2) List all your activities for the week.

In order to determine your activities for the week, you need to take into account your overall goals (like learning a foreign language) and your tasks for the entire month. Then, you break down this month’s tasks into weeks. 

Each week, the tasks may include the following (but not limited to):

• Devotional time with God – prayer; reading the Word; listening to God; praise; Scripture memorization; etc.
• Self-care time- sleep, meals, exercise, journaling, think time, relaxation, etc.
• Action steps for your personal and developmental goals – courses, reading, listening to podcasts and audiobooks, training, etc.
• Regularly commitments – church, prayer meeting, group study, volunteer groups, etc.
• Other (irregular) commitments – socializing, meetings, entertainment, etc. 
• Items from the previous week that remain undone.
• Projects – personal or business.
• Time to plan for the following week.

3) Determine your priorities for the week.

If you’re like me, you always have a lot to do. But you can’t accomplish all at once, so you need to prioritize. Read “5 Proven Steps to Get Your Busy Life Under Control”  for insight on what you may need to remove or delegate from your list.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• How important is _______ in helping you to accomplish your short-term & long-time goals? 

• What would be the consequences if you didn’t complete the task? More important tasks usually carry higher consequences.

• Would it help you in investing in eternity? Remember that eternity will be a LOT longer than time on earth. As such, we need to consistently have an eternal perspective. Hence, your time with God should always be your number one priority.

• How urgent is the activity? Is your car insurance due? Are you in danger of missing an important work deadline?

• Have you given your word? You need to honour your word because you’re a follower of Jesus. Otherwise, people will find it very hard to trust you over time.

4) Rank your priorities.

You might find the following ranking system helpful:

T – Top Priority (time with God, family and self-care).

H- High Priority 

M – Medium Priority

L – Low Priority

“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 

5) Estimate time for each task.

I am overly-optimistic at estimating time for a task. Some years ago, I read in a time-management book that it’s good practice to multiply your task time by three. Subsequently, I began to apply that rule and it helped me to set more realistic times.

Additionally, you need to keep track of the actual times. Let’s say you usually allot one hour for an appointment with a client. However, after several such meetings, you realize one and a half hours is a better estimate. Going forward, you should make adjustments into your schedule. 

6) Schedule your tasks for the week with their estimated times.

Using the ranking system in point 4, place activities (based on priority) into your schedule. According to Brian Tracy’s “Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time”, you should do the most difficult task first (the frogs). Just get it out of the way so that your sense of accomplishment can fuel your motivation to complete other less-daunting tasks. A large project may be divided into smaller manageable tasks.

A guide for your entries:

1. Enter top priority tasks first.
2. Slot in high priority tasks but eat the frog(s) first (the daunting one). It might be one frog at the beginning of the week. Or, if the frog is big (like a thesis), you may need to eat different parts of the frog at the beginning of the day for a period of time. 
3. Add your pledged appointments for the week e.g. mandatory meetings, meeting with a client, etc.
4. Insert medium and low priorities. You should use a different color or shading to separate these priorities. If a higher priority arises, then, at a glance, you’ll be able to see which medium and low priorities can be replaced.
5. Leave time between each task to allow for unforeseen delays; time to take a break; commuting time, your cut-off time, etc.

Be flexible. If you don’t get some things done this week, you can schedule them within the coming weeks. But don’t compromise on the frogs!

7) Set aside large chunks of time for ‘frog-eating’. 

Brian Tracy’s “Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time” also recommends setting aside large chunks of time (like three-hours) to devote to your important tasks (the frogs!). It helps to build momentum and focus. This time has to be protected at all costs. It means preparing your work space so that you have everything you need to get the task done.

Also, it requires that you guard that time from distractions like checking emails, messages, social media engagement, etc. When you are focused, you get into “flow” or “zone”. Research has shown that you complete tasks in 20% less time when you remove distractions. It works!

8) Create your plan in advance. 

Before your week begins, take a few minutes to make a plan for the week. As you get into the habit, it gets easier. If you’re using a digital calendar, “copy” and “paste” are your friends. 

Also, every night, take a moment to review the following day’s schedule. The subconscious is very powerful as you set yourself for your next tasks. You’ll also be less likely to forget. 

9) Follow your schedule.

It makes little sense having a plan if you don’t follow it. Keep it before you to guide how you spend your time. However, you need to also allow for some level of flexibility for the unexpected like a family emergency or God might have an assignment for you.

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9 

Related articles:

10 Ways to Realistically Achieve Work-Life Balance 

5 Proven Steps to Get Your Busy Life Under Control

13 Incredible Tips to Do More in Less Time

Summary 

A little planning goes a long way. When you put first things first, you can sit back and relax without feeling guilty about an unfulfilled commitment or a project that is delayed because of you. It just takes some intentionality and self-discipline. You’re on your way to becoming the most efficient woman that you can be and still enjoy life! 

In order to plan your week well, you need to ask God for wisdom; list all your activities for the week; determine your priorities for the week; rank your priorities; estimate time for each task; schedule your tasks for the week with their estimated time; set aside large chunks of time for “frog-eating”; make your plan before the week starts; and follow your schedule. That’s not too bad, is it?:) Also, remember to depend on the Holy Spirit to help you to do the impossible without giving you a heart failure:)

What are your tips for planning your week? Comment below and share your experiences. If you haven’t subscribed already, click here and you’ll receive my weekly tips to help you grow in your relationship with God and others. You’ll also get your free “Know Yourself” questionnaire straight in your Inbox. Send me an email to say “hi” and share a little about singleness your journey. Take care and thanks for stopping by!

#madetolove

With love,

Kimberly 

Recommended Resources:

“Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time” by Brian Tracy

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