From “Kind of Ready” to Fully Prepared For Your Next Week

Why the Weekly Review is Essential (no matter who you are)

I once asked my two brothers how much time they take on the weekend to get ready for their workweek. They looked at me, puzzled and replied, “we just show up on Monday for work and that’s it.”

Shocked at this approach, I realized that my work as a teacher required hours of preparation each weekend. That was the job. Their work was different, allowing them to show up on Monday and rock and roll. I have to admit that I was more than a little jealous. The hours of grading papers and lesson planning felt heavy.

Having since left the classroom, I still take time each weekend to get ready for the new week. When I honor that practice, my Monday is much better and the week flows nicely. When I rush or ignore the preparation altogether, things veer off the productive path and I end up simply reacting to things as they come.

The Difference

This reality is one you likely can relate to- being sort of prepared versus being wholeheartedly (and peacefully) prepared. The latter feels unmoored, exhilarating but in a fleeting, thin way. Almost dangerous. The former, really taking the time to prepare for your week, helps you breathe. Monday is a bit less intimidating. There’s a calmness to it.

Being fully prepared looks like this:

• You’ve done a GTD-style weekly review

• You’re moderately aware of your calendar

• You’ve cleaned up undone items from last week

• You see what’s coming as an opportunity rather than a burden

• Your inbox is in decent shape

None of us are perfect in this regard. I’ve practiced GTD for decades and still feel the urge, occasionally, to slack off and ignore my Sunday ritual of preparation. More often than not, I do my review and can enter into the week with a sense of calm. Human nature influences our productivity and will power can be overrated. This is why momentum, week after week, is so vitally important.

Connection

Preparing for your week is deeply spiritual. It shows a healthy respect for the work God has given you to do. It lowers your stress level related to “the dreaded Mondays”. It’s also a practical way to sync your brain and available mental RAM with the obligations you have.

As St. Francis de Sales once wrote, “Every morning, prepare your soul for a tranquil day. Foresee that you will have to suffer contradictions, and make a resolution to suffer them with gentleness. This preparation of the heart will arm you against all sorts of attacks."

This week, make an attempt to go from kind of ready to fully prepared for all that is on your plate.