The most successful people often work off a hard schedule. To join their ranks, consider the following scheduling tactics:
Schedule the hardest tasks on Monday. Don’t push that dreaded task off until Friday. Tackle it first thing on Monday to get it off your shoulders.
Schedule breaks. If you work breaks into your schedule when you think you will need them (hello, Wednesday afternoon), your week will fly by.
Add in time for contingencies. Schedule in an hour each day to tackle unforeseen tasks. If nothing comes up, use the hour to get ahead.
Go hard first and last. Open and end your day with an important task, like following up on emails, or running through an hour of cold calls.
Work in a weekend reward. Socially-distant drinks with pals Friday after work or a Saturday morning walk with your pups—planning these event-related goals for the end of the week can keep you focused Monday through Friday.
Zoe Eisenberg is a contributing editor to RISMedia.