Set Yourself Up for Productivity and Success

Posted on July 18, 2025 by Hannah Voetberg MA, MSW, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.

There is a powerful strategy that I learned in career management:
On Friday Afternoon, take some time to set up your next week:
Identify three things you want to accomplish; get set up for the first thing you want to do on Monday Morning; make any appointments that are not already on your calendar. By doing this, you greatly increase the likelihood that your week will be productive and successful.
While others are trying to deal with lethargy and find focus on Monday Morning, you are already on task.
This principle can be applied to your evenings and weekends as well, not in the sense of organizing your entire life; but rather, in terms of creating a structure that gives you momentum while increasing your freedom.

Let’s start by considering evenings. Much of my professional life, I lived alone. That meant there was one person to do chores: Me. Instead of saving all work for the weekend, I did two each day. On one, I picked things up and put them away; then dusted. On the next, I vacuumed and took the garbage bin out to the curb … None of these take much time or energy; yet they greatly reduce the stress that happens when all needs to be done in a limited amount of time.

That leads to weekends:
I strongly suggest that one day be for rest and pleasure. We need that time to become refreshed. It is also important for our relationships at home. For me, that was Saturday; for others that could be Sunday.

Think about activities that inspire, energize and revive you. To get you started, I have created a list. If any of these work for you, adopt them and add any that come to mind:

1. Leisurely breakfast – Take time to sip coffee or tea; then have a breakfast that you especially enjoy. Savor it; engage in good conversation with your partner or spouse. Don’t rush – You are not “on the clock”. You might find that a trip to your favorite pastry shop on Friday is part of preparing for this; you might prefer to cook. Whichever you choose, let it be enjoyable.
2. An interesting outing – Do you find a walk in nature refreshing? Perhaps you are more the thrift shop sort. This should not feel like a chore for you, so plan activities that truly “fill you up”.
3. Some quiet time at home – There are the days when reading a book, watching a movie or just chilling is what we need. Give yourself permission to do this. Saturdays were “nap day” for me. Some people can’t be still that long, so it might be “putter time” or something else that leaves you feeling rested.

What would you like to add to your own list?

The other day can be for chores and preparing yourself for the week: Laundry, grocery shopping … Sometimes, work on the weekend is unavoidable. Schedule it with a start and ending time so that it doesn’t take over your personal life.

I have one more step for you.
This is what I call a “Good-bye” ritual. When you are ready to leave work on Friday, clear your desk or space; if possible, lay out Monday’s first task. Next, say “Good-bye.” Some people turn to look at the building before getting into their cars; others close their office door. The point is to leave work at work. Make your ritual as tangible as you need it to be. One client I had decided to wave on her way out of the parking lot. This is especially important if work is demanding. When I was in practice as a psychotherapist, I redirected my thoughts and focus as soon as I locked my file cabinet and office. I got so good at this, I would completely forget about work until I was back at the clinic. Doing this sets you up for your time off and refilling, which in turn, sets you up for productivity and success in your career.