Do This To Reach Peak Productivity On The Weekend

Find out how to make your weekend days set you up nicely for the 5 days to follow while not skipping an enjoyable weekend beat.

Originally Published Aug. 19, 2016

The weekend is here, and you’re probably already looking forward to doing everything – or absolutely nothing at all. Look, it’s been a long week and you’ve earned it.

Not to bust your bubble or anything, but the weekend is only about two days long. That’s two days that will inevitably be followed by five more days of grinding, until you can enjoy those two days again. Although doing nothing/everything in order to maximize those two days is a brilliant idea, it may also behoove you to start setting yourself up for the upcoming five days, while still enjoying these two.

Sounds confusing? Here’s a breakdown of the best ways to maximize and master your weekend, all while prepping for your week.

Friday:

Do everything or nothing–exactly as you planned. You’ve worked all day. The night is yours–enjoy!

Saturday:

Here is the time to sow your seeds. If you’re like most, your day job isn’t the only thing you have brewing. Many people have side hustles that they hope will someday turn into primary hustles; now is the time to start making that happen. Don’t think “work through,” as that is not of a weekend mindset; just keep doing exactly what it is that you’d normally do and be strategic about it.

Weekends are prime time for social media. Instead of simply scrolling or posting pics of your weekend meals, try posting tips, insight, teasers, videos, links, and so on that pertain to your business. This is a great opportunity to find and engage your target audience. Search for those in your industry that you may want to connect with, follow, and open a dialogue.

Also, network – go out, have drinks, meet new people with common interests, and explore those commonalities. Find an industry social in your area, make that your place to hang out, and voila – work is play.

Sunday:

Chill all the way out and leisurely – with emphasis on the leisure part – start to plan for the week ahead. While you’re lying back on the couch flipping channels, start to think about exactly what you need to accomplish when you arrive to work on Monday, so that you’re already a step ahead of the game when you get there.

Actively use your social media outlets to generate ideas that can be applied to your next week’s success. If there’s a cool article on organization, time management, networking, or anything that pertains to what you currently or aspire to do, check it out. This will start to reignite your work brain, while you’re still in relaxation mode. You won’t skip a beat.

While switching back and forth between your favorite social media outlets, start to jot down the next day’s task in your phone. This may be starting to push it a bit, as the weekend is all about seizing every limited moment. But trust that this pre-planning can help you to relax even more, because you will be ahead of the next day and already winning!

If you’re really getting geared up, feel free check your work email, so that you already know what’s coming down the pipe on Monday. This will make you more mentally prepared to take it on.

Might have gone too far with that last one, so we’ll quit while ahead – but you get the drift. Enjoy!