I don’t know about you, but since starting to work for myself years ago, I’ve completely gotten rid of that overwhelming feeling of dread that used to overtake me on Sunday nights. You know, the feeling that the end of your weekend reprieve was just a few short hours away and there would be no turning back for five whole days. It was awful!
Now, even with the Monday anxiety gone, there is certain level of craziness that comes with Monday morning as an entrepreneur. Even though I frequently work on the weekend, I typically don’t respond to e-mails or interface with clients on Saturday and Sunday, so Monday unavoidably brings with it a slew of messages to return, clients waiting for an update, subcontractors to check in with, and ongoing work to be completed.
Plus, there are always the normal distractions that can make it very difficult to zero in on the most important things on Mondays. This list of 6 Friday to-dos can help you effectively shut down for the week and get you ready to enter Monday on a much more even keel.
Wrap-Up the “Close-Outs”
While I wouldn’t recommend launching any big projects on a Friday, the end of the week is the perfect time to get closure on open projects that are essentially completed. Send out your final reports, ask for client feedback, file away the project documents, and do whatever else you need to do to clear the work from your slate.
Clean Up Your Computer
I may be alone in this, but I hate desktop icons. And of course, I download everything to my desktop. If I don’t stay on top of it, by the end of the week, I have a huge mess on my desktop to weed through. Friday can be the perfect time to delete the unneeded files and organize the valuable downloads, so you can clear your desktop and make room for the next week of incoming info.
Get a Handle on Your Inbox
Try to execute all of the action items sitting in your inbox on Friday. Many times, the pending e-mails you have waiting for your attention will take only a few minutes to act on. Then you can get them out of your way and off your mind for Monday.
Plan for the Following Week
You probably have a pretty lengthy list of projects and tasks in the works at any given time. It’s not realistic to plan to get everything done at once. Instead of rolling all of your tasks over to the next week, take time to plan and schedule your time so you can create a manageable work plan. This will also help you to create more focused and productive time when you return to the office after the weekend.
Make a List of the Biggest Priorities for Monday
Once you have your plan for the following week, separate out the most important things that need to be done on Monday. Then put the rest of the list away until those items are taken care of, or you reach the end of the day Monday. Then regroup and create a revised list for the next day.
Send Out Status Messages
Touch base with clients who may be waiting to hear back from you before you shut down on Friday. This quick status update, letting the client know where you are with the project and when they can expect to have more from you will alleviate some of the Monday morning pressure to bring everyone up to speed.
How do you wrap up your work week so Monday morning isn’t a total drain on you?
Image credit: Geri-Jean Blanchard
Alyssa GregoryAlyssa Gregory is a digital and content marketer, small business consultant, and the founder of the Small Business Bonfire — a social, educational and collaborative community for entrepreneurs.
