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When you’re having a particularly busy week, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and like there’s no way everything will get done. Whether it’s additional appointments, a particularly heavy work week, or an impending deadline, busy weeks can be a source of stress for people of all ages. However, busy weeks don’t have to be stressful. With the right process for managing your time, you can get through a busy week feeling in control and tackling every challenge that comes your way. These steps outlined below can help you navigate a busy week and come out the other side stress-free.
When looking ahead at a busy week, (or a busy couple of weeks) it’s important to start with a calendar. Whether it’s digital or physical, allow yourself to visually look at the time ahead. Start by filling out that calendar, noting any specific appointments, events, or tasks that occur on a specific day or at a specific time. When you can visually see how much of your time will be occupied throughout the week, it will create a greater sense of control. It will also allow you to assess how much leftover time you will have each day for tasks that do not occur at a certain time. Once you have a completed calendar, you can begin to consider your weekly to-do’s.
Once you have completed a calendar, your next step is to make a list of everything you have to get done that week. No task is too small to add to the list: the more complete your list is, the better you will be able to plan for the week ahead. This list should consist of every task that is not attached to a specific day and time, with the goal being to eventually decide when you will do what. Be sure to review your list several times before calling it complete, looking through any notes, agendas, or emails that might contain additional tasks.
Once you have completed your list of tasks, the next step is to review each task and determine how long each one will take. Next to the task, note an estimate of how long it will take. If you are unsure, you might start by identifying all the individual materials and steps needed to complete the task, and consider how long each piece will take. When estimating the length of a task, it’s always better to assume it will take a bit longer than underestimating the time. It can also be a useful exercise to add up the total time of these tasks. Oftentimes, this total will be less than you’d expect, giving you a greater sense of control over the week ahead. Once your list is complete with all of your weekly tasks and their estimated time, you can begin to truly plan your week.
In this next step, you will review both the list you have completed and your calendar. Look at how much free time you have each day, and compare against all of your allotted tasks. Then, begin adding each task to specific days. Be sure to pay attention to details such as tasks that must be completed before other tasks, tasks that you’d prefer to get over with early in the week, and tasks that you might need help with. You will know your planning stage is complete when your calendar is full of every event, appointment, and task you have to manage in the coming week.
A plan for your week is great, but it’s very easy to forget your plan or fail to stick to it during a busy week. For this reason, it’s essential to build in a plan to review your calendar daily during a busy week. In an ideal case, you will review your calendar once in the morning to prepare you for the day and again at night to review any incomplete tasks and plan for the next day. However, you must make a plan that fits your schedule and will be supportive to you. When making a plan to check your calendar, choose a specific time and determine what steps you will take, such as reading through the calendar and perhaps crossing out completed tasks. Once you have made your plan, create a reminder for yourself such as a phone reminder or a sticky note on the fridge to ensure your calendar routine does not get lost during the busy week.
Once your busy week begins, be sure to continue reviewing your calendar daily and adjust it as necessary. Reset any reminders you have created for yourself and add additional reminders if the ones you set up aren’t working. Most importantly, give yourself grace if you forget to look at your calendar for a day. If you miss a task or forget to check your calendar, don’t assume the whole routine is lost or that your week won’t recover. Instead, readjust your calendar as necessary and get back on track for the next day. Consistency isn't about perfection; it's about returning to a habit when you fall out of it.
Learning to manage a busy schedule and create actionable plans that work is a challenging task. These skills are particularly challenging for teenagers, who are learning to adapt to ever-changing environments while their minds and bodies are growing and changing. Some teens need more support than others in developing these skills. That’s where Success Coaching can help! YA Success Coach offers 1-1 coaching for middle, high school, and college students looking to build time management, planning & prioritization, and other Executive Functioning skills in order to help teens and young adults achieve their long-term goals. Our individualized approach emphasizes identifying each client’s unique needs and developing systems that will be supportive to them. Contact us today to learn more about how Success Coaching can help your child.
Having a conversation is the first step to helping your child realize their full potential and set them up for success!