“Successful people tend to adhere to routines in general, so it’s no surprise that the most successful people I know maintain a Friday afternoon routine,” says Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of “You Can’t Be Serious! Putting Humor to Work”
As the clock ticks closer to quitting time, Friday quickly becomes the unofficial “Slack-off Day” in many offices, with employees more focused on their weekend plans than the work on their desks. But some of the most successful entrepreneurs think ahead and take care of business, even at week’s end.
How you end your workweek will not only have a huge impact on how productive you are the following week, but also may determine how relaxed you are over the weekend.
Here are the things you can do on Friday afternoon to lay the groundwork for a productive and profitable Monday.
1. Reflect on all the accomplishments from the week.
It is far too easy to wallow over what you didn’t accomplish, Kerr says. “Successful people tend to flip that around and remind themselves of just how much progress they did make, even if it’s only ‘small wins.’” Acknowledging and appreciating your accomplishments not only boosts your happiness levels, but it fuels momentum. “A great ritual for team leaders to create is to turn this into a Friday afternoon team huddle tradition, wherein everyone shares their top three accomplishments for the week,” Kerr suggests.
Use Friday afternoon to reflect on your business and career. Assess where you are and write down where you want to go. Set specific long-term goals and step-by-step plans for the following week that bring you closer to achieving them. A clear vision of your future will help ensure your success as an entrepreneur, and inspire you to passionately pursue your mission.
2. Figure out the priorities for the coming week.
Sit down with your calendar, review your upcoming appointments and start mapping out the week ahead. Do you need to prepare for a Monday meeting with a new client? Is there a prospect you’ve meant to invite to lunch? Are there relevant networking events upcoming that are worth your time? Friday afternoon is the ideal time to get smaller tasks off your plate, take stock of opportunities foreseeable in your coming week and schedule items so you can hit the ground running on Monday. Having a plan for Monday will results in a more relaxed weekend and “Your to-do list won’t be nagging at your brain for two days.”
3. Connect with former clients.
Use the same principle to connect with your current clients or others with whom you’ve done business in the past, but haven’t heard from in a while. It’s a good idea to occasionally remind clients of how much you’ve enjoyed working with them in the past and suggest new ways that you can help them become even more successful. Share with them what’s new in your organization or pass along a link to an interesting article that might be beneficial to them.
4. Get organized
“Many successful people I know take 15 to 30 minutes every Friday afternoon to clean out and organize their email files and to clean and organize their office, so that they know they are returning to a fresh, organized start the following week,” Kerr says.
After a week’s work, your desk is probably strewn with stacks and scraps of paper that haven’t yet found a place in your files. Friday afternoon is the time to straighten up whatever has gotten out of place during your busy workweek. Do your filing, organize the calls you have to make for the following week and update your to-do list. By doing this, you can leave work at the end of the day with a clean office and a clear head. You’ll be ready to return on Monday to start the new week mentally refreshed.
5. Weekend Plans
You should take some time to think about what you’d like to do. Perhaps you’ve been dying to try that new restaurant; you really want to spend time with your kids at the park; or you have errands you’ve been putting off. Take a few minutes, before it’s too late, to make reservations, check the weather, find a babysitter, etc.
Clearing the slate on Friday and knowing you’ve put everything in place to be productive next week will make for a more relaxed weekend. Enjoy your weekend.
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