Have you ever had one of those productive weeks where you accomplished your weekly goals, everything on your to-do list and then some? It’s an amazing feeling, isn’t it?
You can really pack a punch in a week. Though for some reason, the idea of setting weekly goals is often neglected.
We tend to think in terms of the here and now (such as daily goals) or the long-term and future (such as monthly or yearly goals). So, what about the week that lies just ahead of us?
7 Days is a fantastic amount of time to set challenges for yourself. A week gives you enough time to set a goal that can be more satisfying and impactful than a daily goal, yet it’s easier to see the finish line than it is for a monthly or yearly goal.
With the quick and significant results that weekly goals provide, achieving them can help you feel accomplished, confident and motivated to keep working on the goals you’ve set out for the long term!
Still not convinced? Here are some of the amazing things that can happen when you make weekly productivity a priority. Plus, I created an awesome printable weekly review template that’ll help you evaluate and perfect your goal setting strategy, so keep reading to pick that up as well!
10 powerful reasons to start setting weekly goals
You get a sense of focus and direction
Weekly goals help you stay focused on exactly what you can accomplish in the short-term. As a result, you easily beat the feeling of overwhelm that long-term goals often cause.
7 Days provides enough time to accomplish smaller goals carefully and thoroughly. These goals can eventually add up to the completion of the bigger, long-term goals that seem like a pipe dream!
You learn better time management skills
Setting goals that are specifically meant to be worked on over a single week will help you cultivate a better sense of time management. You’ll learn how to prioritize your tasks, how to account for schedule changes and more.
You’ll see an increase in your productivity
With a nearby finish line and clear goals in mind, you’re much more likely to up your productivity and accomplish more during the week.
A 7 day time limit creates just enough of a sense of urgency to get you working on your goals early in the week, yet more than enough time to add in extra, smaller goals if you work efficiently.
You create momentum toward your goals
Being productive with different goals on a weekly basis can create a feeling of momentum that propels you toward the results you want. This can be addictive in the most positive way! Once you get the ball rolling, it gets harder to stop.
You’re able to see clear progress
Weekly goals provide a measurable way to track your progress and ensure you’re making your way toward larger goals. Once the week is over, you can look back to figure out what worked, what didn’t work and how you can improve while you work toward your goals in the next week (the printable weekly check-in template in this post is perfect for this!).
You can be flexible with your goals
When setting weekly goals, you have a whole 7 days (or 5-6, depending on if you include the weekend/Sunday/etc.) to work out how you’ll go about achieving your goal.
This allows for greater flexibility in your plans. Something unexpected came up in your schedule? Not a problem. As long as you haven’t put things off until the last minute, you’ve got time to reschedule your plans around.
Compared to daily goals, weekly goals give you much more leeway for when things don’t go as planned.
You get a sense of accomplishment
Successfully completing weekly goals are just about guaranteed to make you feel accomplished and satisfied.
A goal that requires a week to be achieved is often heftier than one that only needs a day. Imagine achieving such goals on an on-going weekly basis! It’d provide a big boost to your confidence and well-being.
You get a boost in motivation
The more you accomplish, the more motivated you’ll feel to keep going. And that motivation is exactly what you need to plunge toward your bigger goals in a swift motion!
You’ll free up time for things you enjoy
Think working toward your goals every week is going to take up all your time? On the contrary, you’ll be more efficient with your time and will no longer have to scramble to get things done at the last minute.
Your productive week will actually free up more time for the things you love, whether that’s spending time with family, pursuing a hobby or simply taking a day off to relax.
You can achieve your long-term goals faster
Have goals that’ll take a month or more to complete? Try creating an action plan, breaking it down into small pieces and splitting it over a few weeks. This will keep you on task while preventing overwhelm.
You’ll be more likely to work toward your big, long-term goal consistently by thinking of it as short, 7 day bursts!
How to make weekly productivity a priority
So, now you know the amazing reasons why you should set weekly goals, but actually setting and going through with them is another deal. Here are a few tips that’ll make prioritizing a productive week easy:
Set achievable goals: Break down large goals into smaller, achievable steps that you can tackle each day throughout the week.
Create a schedule: Set aside blocks of time to work on specific tasks. You might like to use my printable daily planner template to schedule your day.
Prioritize your tasks: Focus on the most important (and scariest) tasks first. Get them over with! Tackle the less urgent tasks later.
Eliminate distractions: While working on your goal, turn off notifications, put your phone on “do not disturb” mode and do anything else necessary to stay focused. For more help on focus, I highly recommend the book Deep Work by Cal Newport. It talks all about getting things done despite all the distractions around us.
Take breaks: Rest is important! Short breaks throughout the day will help you recharge and prevent you from feeling the dreaded burn out.
Printable Weekly Check-In Template
One of the easiest ways to refine your goal setting strategy and check your progress is with a weekly review. Simply take some time at the end of the week to journal about your experience, what you accomplished, what you didn’t accomplish, etc.
To help you out, I created this cute and useful printable (or digital) weekly check-in template! Feel free to print it out and use it to evaluate and adjust your goal setting strategies (or edit it in a digital note taking app).
This template is US letter size 8.5″ x 11″, though it should be resizable to A4 (and possibly A5 as well). Be sure to select “scale to fit” and “fill entire page” in your printer settings.
➜ Get The Weekly Check-in Template: PINK | BLUE | GRAY | PLAIN
Work smarter, not harder!
Remember, productivity isn’t about drilling yourself into the ground with tons of impossible tasks. It’s about working efficiently and staying focused on what’s most important.
Go ahead and try making productivity a priority this week. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish in just a few days.
Need more help with productivity & achieving your goals?
You might like my post on how to schedule your day, where I talk all about planning a super productive-yet-realistic day.
I also have a weekly planner printable you’ll love. You can print it or use it digitally to create a weekly overview, a weekly to-do list or to plan out the week ahead.
Let me know what you think of the weekly check-in. I’d love to hear from you!
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