Weekends are for resting. After five days of toiling and grinding, it is only understandable that you want to plop down in front of the couch with a bag of chips and binge watch on Netflix. I get it. These are trying times and it is difficult to determine exactly how to be productive during a quarantine. However, a little organization during the weekends can increase productivity and boost your position at work by a large margin.

Here’s the Sunday routine that will help you increase productivity for the rest of your week!

1. Organize Your Workspace:

I have discussed the importance of dedicating a space when you work from home in one of my Instagram posts. This is your sacred space which will rewire your brain and prepare it for work. Get rid of all the documents and other bits and bobs that you won’t need for the following week.

2. Find A Calming Space For Yourself:

It can be your bed, your couch or your favorite chair. Wherever it is, leave the remote and play some relaxing, instrumental music and light some aromatic candles. Make a cup of tea or coffee or grab a glass of wine. Remember, organization can be relaxing too!

3. Grab Your Materials!

Whether you like sitting down and making notes in your diary or turning to digital apps like Google Keep or Evernote, collect your materials and get ready to map out the most productive week ever. Keep pens, pencils and highlighters handy. You can color-code your tasks and organize them with sticky notes and binders.

4. Increase Productivity By Listing All Your Tasks For The Week:

Having a list of all your tasks even before you start puts you ahead in the game by a large margin. Also lay down all your outfits for the week for online/offline meetings. It will help you feel prepared throughout the week. You are eliminating the chances of forgetting your tasks through the week or being taken aback by surprises even before the week begins. Now if that is not organization 101, I don’t know what is.

5. Focus on Both Professional And Personal Goals:

During the weekend, it is important to not just focus on your professional goals, but also your personal ones. It is important to strike a work-life balance and that requires meticulous planning. Do you have a meeting early in the morning on a Friday? Well, that means you will have to skip your yoga session that day and make up for it with a run in the evening!

6. Fill In Specific Tasks Under Each Project:

An important lesson in organization in order to increase productivity is to break down all your tasks into smaller, do-able steps. This simplification helps you keep track of your progress better and if you’re anything like me, you will get a kick out of crossing out each task you’ve completed. This in turn will motivate you to work harder!

7. Prioritize Your Tasks Effectively:

This is where the color-coding comes in! Now that you’ve listed all your tasks during the week, prioritize them in a methodological fashion. Arrange tasks under each day in order of their urgency and importance. Circle ones that you need to get out of the way immediately and star mark the ones that you can do at your own pace.

8. And Finally:

Rest better on Sunday knowing you are prepared instead of dreading Monday!

It’s true, most of our Sundays are spent dreading the following week. So in a way, spending a little time to increase productivity will help you kick back and relax even better. Enjoy your favorite sitcoms because the world is suddenly a better and brighter place. You’re welcome!

Reach out to me to find out how I can help you increase productivity and help you live your best professional life!