Three Simple Tools to Win Back Your Week

Imagine for a moment you’re at dinner with two friends.

One friend is a super high-acheiver, working 65 hours a week, exhausted, and burnt out. They barely made it to dinner on time and will check emails the whole night. Their list of tasks is endless.

The other friend feels stuck at work and is avoiding dealing with their challenges. They may even want to find a new job. They aren’t seeking out growth opportunities and safely stay in their comfort zone.

Do you fall into one of these camps? The first friend, stressed out on the hamster wheel of life? Or the second friend, who doesn’t know what to do next?

If so, there’s is a third option. A method to succeed at work and achieve your goals while still accomplishing that sense of work-life balance. You can finish each day in control of your time and ready to relax with friends and loved ones. You can make that 5 p.m. yoga class and feel refreshed as you eat dinner and go to bed. In other words, you can win back your week.

This is what we call the Double Win, and we have the tools to get you there.

Tool 1: The Big 3

If you feel overwhelmed by your tasks or are struggling to start your goal-achievement journey, you need to embrace the concept of the Big 3. First, you need to decide what goals you want to achieve in a year. If you’re a Full Focus Planner user, we recommend setting approximately eight goals for the year. Then, divide these goals into three parts: The Quarterly Big 3, The Weekly Big 3, and the Daily Big 3.

The Quarterly Big 3: For your Quarterly Big 3, take two or three of your annual goals and focus on them for the upcoming quarter. This will feel less daunting, preventing you from burning out and keeping the finish line in sight.

The Weekly Big 3: Your Weekly Big 3 breaks down your Quarterly goals into manageable objectives and priorities. Ask yourself at the beginning of each week: “What can I do this week to bring me closer to my goals?”

The Daily Big 3: Your Daily Big 3 will soon become your best friend for staying on top of your tasks. Prioritize three things that you must complete by the end of the day. It will soon help you eliminate unnecessary responsibilities from your to-do list.

Tool 2: The Ideal Week

Productivity is a key driver of winning back your week and achieving the Double Win. You can revolutionize your productivity and control your time with the Ideal Week. Full Focus Planner users will be familiar with this tool. It’s a simple structure that allows you to maximize your energy, tackle your tasks, and set boundaries with your time. As the name would suggest, the Ideal Week is a weekly plan that lays out how you’ll spend your seven days. Love to have meetings first thing Monday morning? Write that down and tell your team. Do your best thinking after lunch? Schedule your focus time for 1 p.m. each day. Of course, life happens and unexpected events occur, but you can set yourself up for success with the Ideal Week tool. Click here to download a free template.

Tool 3: Workday Shutdown Ritual

If you find yourself at your desk until 7 p.m. each night or unable to sleep as your to-do list runs through your mind, you need a Workday Shutdown Ritual. Add a daily calendar reminder at the end of each day to draw a line under each day. This looks different for everyone; it could be turning off all your email notifications, setting your Slack status to “away,” writing your Daily Big Three for the next day, or simply putting your phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode. Whatever helps you to transition into your rest and relaxation time in the evening.

You can win back your week and start living the life that you want.