Weekly Planning

I have found it helpful to have weekly habits that ensure that I keep focused on what’s important so that I don’t get distracted by the acorns (squirrel mind) and bright shiny things (ooh what does this do?!). 

Not gonna lie, this is a constant work in progress for me and for many other bookkeepers that I know. I am always looking for ways to be better with this. 

With that said, here are a few of my weekly habits that keep me consistent with my marketing, meeting delivery standards, and ensuring I have a work/life balance that works for me. 

Dedicated Planning Time 

For me, it’s usually Monday morning but sometimes it’s Sunday. You choose a time that works for you each week to plan the week ahead. This needs to be a non-negotiable appointment with yourself to reflect on the week that’s just been and map out the week ahead. 

I look at what’s in the calendar so nothing catches me by surprise. I check to see if there’s anything I need to prep in advance for and if so, where can I set time aside for that. I also check that there are no scheduling conflicts because I need to address those early in the week if there are. 

Celebrate Wins and Reflect on Lessons 

As well as planning ahead it’s important to celebrate our achievements – big or small. Like, did you get a new client? Did you meet a challenging deadline? Did you make good money this week? Even small wins and baby steps deserve to be celebrated and recognised as progress. When we do this we reinforce positive habits and stay motivated to keep moving forward. 

Equally important is reflecting on lessons from the week. Were there tasks that didn’t go as planned? What can you do differently next time? What did you learn? This process of reflection keeps us learning and growing and can help us to plan better in the future. 

Decide on Your Priorities 

Prioritising where to spend your time can be an ongoing challenge, but it’s infinitely easier when you are clear about your mission in life. 

Your personal and business missions shape your goals and behaviours, but we often stumble through life without clarity about what these are. “What do you want?” is a question that many of us find hard to answer, but once you are clear about that you pave your way for success. 

You will then find yourself aligning your weekly tasks with your larger goals for your business and life. Ask yourself: 

• What actions will move me closer to my goals? 
• Which tasks are truly urgent and important? 
• What can be delegated or postponed? 

Time-Block Your Schedule 

I find time-blocking to be quite powerful for ensuring my priorities actually happen, but it can also seem overwhelming if not done well. Time-blocking is where you allocate specific times in your calendar for your tasks.  

For time-blocking to work you need to go deeper with your To Do list.  Rather than just having a long list of to-dos, you need to estimate how long you’ll need for each task, allocate a priority status (low, medium, high), and set deadlines. 

You also need to add in buffer time because if you are anything like me, you are overly optimistic about how long things should take. However, I do find that by giving myself a timeframe of, say 1 hour, rather than an open-ended timeframe, I am more likely to complete the task within that time. 

Leverage Technology  

Productivity tools can be a game-changer for managing your time and workload and us bookkeepers do love us a good system, don’t we? 

A tool I recently started using which helps with scheduling and time-blocking, is Motion. This app uses AI to auto-schedule the day and if there’s anywhere that AI can be useful it’s to help me be more productive and I’m all for it. 

Aside from that I run my business on Microsoft 365 and if you’re a Microsoft business as well, I highly recommend checking out YouTube to learn more about what you can do with all the various apps and products available to you as part of your Microsoft subscription.  

My team and I use Teams, Outlook, Planner, To Do, SharePoint and One Drive, OneNote, Forms and, of course, the Microsoft essentials of Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. But other apps such as Bookings, Loop, and Lists might be worth a look if you have time to go down a rabbit hole.  

In Google Workspace you have similar counterparts with Google Meet, Gmail, Google Calendar, Tasks, Drive, and Forms etc. 

Whatever tools you already have, I suggest that you start by ensuring that you know them well and that you are well-trained in their use so that you can utilise their functionality fully. 

Review and Adjust 

It’s not uncommon for unforeseen things to take us away from what we had initially planned but that doesn’t mean that you can’t get yourself back on track. A daily review will help you to stay on track towards your weekly goals and priorities and adapt to any changes.  

Check your calendar and task list and adjust as needed. This is a simple habit which is not very time-consuming and can save you from feeling overwhelmed, unproductive, and out of control. 

Plan for Breaks and Downtime 

The simple fact is that taking breaks improves productivity. When you take a break you maintain better mental clarity and focus, enhance your attention span, stimulate creativity and ultimately reduce stress levels. 

So include daily break times for lunch and movement and include exercise, hobbies, and family time in your weekly plan. These things help to rejuvenate your mind and body which then keeps you energised for the week. 

Plan, Act, Achieve

By developing and sticking to a consistent weekly planning routine, you can create more clarity, balance, and momentum in your professional and personal life. Remember, it’s not just about ticking tasks off a list - it’s about focusing on what truly matters and staying aligned with your long-term goals.

It doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact all you really need is a little time, a few tools, and the right mindset and you can start each week with clarity and purpose.