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The Planning Shortcut That Will 10X Your Productivity

3 simple steps you can use every week to stay ahead

Author

Vikko
September 29, 2024

Hey mate!

This newsletter is part of a series where I share four essential systems to help you overcome chaos and overwhelm.

Last week, we’ve covered how to manage your tasks effectively.

Today, I’m introducing the third system.

Something that could truly change the way you tackle your week: Weekly Planning.

If you’ve ever felt like your week slips through your fingers, leaving you scrambling to keep up, this system is for you.

Here’s what we’ll cover today:

  • Why Very Few People Plan Their Week (and Why You Should)

  • Life Without Planning Your Week

  • Steps for Weekly Planning (Beginner’s version)

Let’s start now.

Part 1: Why Very Few People Plan Their Week (and Why You Should)

Most people don’t plan their week.

They wake up Monday morning, dive straight into the chaos, and hope for the best.

Here’s the truth: not planning is a fast track to failure.

You’re left putting out fires, reacting to whatever screams the loudest, and wondering where all your time went.

But here’s the bigger problem—you’re not just losing time, you’re losing opportunities.

The important stuff, the goals that could change your life, get buried in the chaos.

I used to tell myself, “I don’t have time for my personal projects or health.”

But the truth?

I didn’t have a time problem—I had an organization problem.

I wasn’t controlling my week; it was controlling me.

Once I started weekly planning, that changed.

I wasn’t just surviving my week anymore—I was running it.

Part 2: The Chaos Without a Plan

Remember the last time you started your week without a plan?

It’s exhausting.

You’re constantly putting out fires, barely catching your breath.

And by Friday, you’re left wondering why the important things didn’t get done.

You were busy, but you didn’t make progress where it really counts.

Here’s the hard truth: without a plan, your goals don’t stand a chance.

You’ll stay stuck in survival mode, just reacting to whatever comes your way.

And when you’re always in reactive mode, those dreams you have?

They’ll stay exactly where they are—dreams.

You’ll never make progress on the big picture because the week will always pull you back into the weeds.

But take time on Sunday, and you flip the script.

You get to decide what matters, and when the week starts, you’re ready.

Step 1: Brain Dump

The first step to taking control is simple: clear your mind.

If your head’s full of tasks, ideas, and reminders, how can you focus?

You can’t.

Grab a notebook or open a document.

Now, take 10 minutes to write down every task, every idea, every thought.

Dump it all out.

Don’t worry about what’s important yet—just get it out of your head.

When you see everything written down, you’ll feel lighter.

And here’s the reality: if it’s not on paper, it’s not getting done.

Your brain wasn’t built to juggle tasks—it was built to solve problems.

So stop trying to remember everything.

Write it down and give yourself the mental clarity to focus.

Step 2: Get Clear on Priorities

Here’s where most people mess up: they treat everything like it’s equally important.

But not everything deserves your attention.

The truth? Most of the tasks on your list aren’t critical.

So, after you’ve dumped all your thoughts, it’s time to get clear.

What tasks will move you closer to your biggest goals this week? 

Don’t waste time on low-priority work that makes you feel busy but keeps you stuck.

Prioritize the things that actually matter.

Ask yourself: What’s going to have the biggest impact? What aligns with your long-term vision?

When you know your priorities, everything else can wait.

Step 3: Schedule Your Priorities

Here’s where most people fail—they have their priorities, but they don’t actually schedule them.

So nothing gets done.

Here’s the deal: if it’s not on your calendar, it’s not happening.

You can’t just hope your most important work will magically fit into your day.

You have to schedule it.

I use Google Calendar to time-block my key tasks—because once it’s scheduled, it’s locked in.

It’s a commitment.

And when you make time for what matters, you start seeing real progress.

Let me be blunt: if you don’t block time for your priorities, you’ll always be stuck reacting to whatever pops up.

You’ll end the week feeling frustrated, like you’ve wasted another five days.

And that frustration? It compounds over time.

One week becomes one month, one month becomes one year, and before you know it, you’re no closer to your goals.

But when you schedule your priorities?

You’re in control.

You’re making progress—week by week.

And that’s where real change happens.

Bonus: A Next-Level System for Advanced Users

If you’ve been doing weekly planning for a while, you know the power it brings.

TaskMaster Pro works hand-in-hand with weekly planning, offering a system to organize, prioritize, and execute not just your weekly tasks but your long-term projects and goals.

It helps you track everything in one place so nothing slips through the cracks.

We’ll dive into how TaskMaster Pro integrates with your weekly planning soon.

But for now, keep it simple.

Focus on mastering the basics—because when you nail those, everything else becomes easier.

Wrapping It All Up

Weekly planning doesn’t need to be complicated.

By clearing your mind, getting clear on your priorities, and blocking time in your calendar, you’re setting yourself up for success. You’re in control of your week, not the other way around.

And when you start making progress week after week, those big-picture dreams that felt out of reach?

They start to feel a lot closer.

The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll feel the difference—and wonder why you didn’t do this sooner.

To a 10x more productive week,
Vikko

P.S.