Who doesn’t love a long weekend? An extra day off can make all the difference in relaxing and recharging. But then the workday eventually comes, and anxiety can increase. Do not let the stress of a shortened workweek impact your long weekend fun! Here is how to be productive, manage your workload, and come back worry-free after a few days out of the office!
1. Tackle the Inbox
First things first- making your way through all the emails that piled up. Start by deleting all junk, followed by catching up on chains that do not require a response. Then, tackle everything that needs an easy response or has a quick action item, like setting up a meeting. Finally, answer the oldest emails. If that is taking a while, leave the newest ones to later in the day.
A great tool to use is folders. Sorting your inbox will make the task at hand less daunting. Don’t forget to also mark emails as “unread” if you decide to respond later.
2. Prioritize
Time to build a to-do list! After handling emails, write down everything that needs to be done today, and then for the week. Order items by priority, and do not move onto the next task until the previous one has been completed. Moving through your list in this way keeps you on track and clearly lays out all that needs to be accomplished.
3. Move Meetings
Don’t be afraid to move your schedule around! Meetings on days off don’t automatically need to be moved to the next day. Work with your team and clients to ensure you have time the first day back to dedicate to your inbox and catching up. If possible, evenly disperse meetings throughout the week for a schedule optimized for productivity.
4. Block Time
Let your calendar set you up for success. Block off time not just for meetings, but for projects and smaller tasks as well. Use 15-minute increments for things like responding to an email, printing something out, or reviewing a short document. Block hours off for big projects and long meetings. Putting the time down on your calendar will help hold you accountable and will signal to others that you are not free.
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