My work week starts late Sunday night. This is the time when I compile weekly status reports from my managers and when I prepare my own status reports to my supervisor. Preparing the reports may sound tedious and bureaucratic but I’ve come to value the time I spend working on them. Why? Besides the obvious intent of communicating what’s going on, I’ve come to look at this time doing this seemingly menial task as a time for reflection and getting some sense of what’s going on not only with projects but also with my staff. This practice has become beneficial to me in that when I walk in to my office Monday morning, I have a better expectation of what’s to come ahead the next few days. It also sets me in the mindset of seeing the big picture instead of reacting to issues that may come my way in reactive mode.

I end my work week setting some time on Friday afternoons (or when my work week ends) reviewing how the week went and taking some notes on what I need to do for the next week. I value my weekend spending time with my wife or with my hobbies. I’ve found this practice of end-of-week review very valuable in keeping my mind away from work. Admittedly, even during weekends and while at the golf course, work-related ideas come to my mind, but I don’t spend too much time thinking about them.

Do you spend some time preparing and reviewing your work week?