For years, Sunday nights had a routine. Around eight o'clock, I'd start thinking about Monday. Emails. Client requests. Deadlines. That one surprise waiting to derail my plans before I'd even had my first cup of coffee.
Like a lot of business owners, I figured the answer was simple. Work a little harder over the weekend and get ahead.
It never worked.
The more I worked, the longer my to-do list seemed to get. Instead of feeling prepared, I felt like I was starting every week one step behind.
What finally made a difference wasn't anything I did on Sunday. It was what I started doing on Friday.
Back then, Friday afternoon became protected time. No meetings after one o'clock. No "just one more call." Instead, I spent a couple of hours wrapping up the week so Monday had a much softer landing.
The first stop was my inbox. I've always been an Inbox Zero fan, not because it's trendy, but because I don't like loose ends. I answered what I could, delegated what I should, and filed the rest. When I shut my computer down, there wasn't a pile of unanswered email waiting for me on Monday.
Then I reset my workspace. There was a lot less paper than there used to be, but somehow receipts, notes, and sticky notes still multiplied during the week. A quick cleanup on Friday saved me from hunting for things on Monday morning.
Next came my task list.
I collected ideas all week long. Friday was when I decided which ones deserved my attention. Some became projects. Some were delegated. Others quietly disappeared because they really weren't that important after all.
One habit made an even bigger difference. When I had a good idea that simply wasn't right for right now, I didn't leave it sitting on my list making me feel guilty. I scheduled it to come back in three or six months. If it came back and still didn't make the cut, I knew it wasn't as important as I thought.
Finally, I planned my weekend.
Yes, I usually checked in on work at some point. That's life when you're running a business. But I decided ahead of time when I'd work and, just as important, when I wouldn't. Walks, dinner with friends, and family time all went on the calendar, too. If I didn't plan my downtime, work happily filled every available minute.
The best part was that Sunday nights lost their grip on me. I knew what was waiting on Monday, and I knew it already had a place on my calendar.
These days, I don't have the pressure of running a business anymore, but I still protect Friday afternoon. I clear my desk, close the open loops, and head into the weekend knowing Monday won't be waiting to ambush me. Some habits are worth keeping, even after the job changes.
What about you? Do you have a Friday routine that makes Monday easier? I'd love to hear about it. And if you'd like to compare notes, you can book an Office Hours conversation at morethanafewwords.com/officehours.
