How to Create a Weekly Planning Routine (That You'll Actually Look Forward To)
It's Friday afternoon...
Your laptop is about to close. The week is almost done. And instead of scrambling to figure out what Monday looks like, you already KNOW. You've got a plan. You know what's on your plate, what can wait, and exactly where your focus goes first thing Monday morning.
That feeling? It's everything.
And it's exactly what a solid weekly planning routine can give you.
I'll be totally honest... I am OBSESSED with planning. Like, borderline embarrassing. My favorite 15 minutes of the entire week is my Friday CEO Reset, where I sit down with my SYS Planner, review the week, and map out what's coming next. Something about turning the page to a fresh new week just makes me SO happy.
(Yes, I know. I might have issues.)
But here's the deal... even if you're not a planning nerd like me, I firmly believe that a weekly planning routine is the key to both your success AND your sanity as an entrepreneur. Because without one, you end up doing the same thing every single week – staring at your to-do list, not knowing where to start, and spending your days feeling busy instead of actually productive.
So let me walk you through the exact weekly planning routine I use every Friday. You might tweak it to fit your life, and that's completely fine – flexibility is actually a huge part of this. But this is a great place to start.
Why Your Weekly Planning Routine Actually Matters
Real quick before we get into the steps...
It keeps you accountable. When you write down your plan (more on that in a sec), you're making a commitment to yourself about what's getting done that week. That's especially important as a business owner, because nobody is looking over your shoulder telling you what to do.
It makes you more productive. When you sit down Monday morning already knowing exactly what you're doing, you waste way less time. No more "ok, so what am I doing today?" energy. You just... start.
It protects your time. One of the core pieces of my SYS Method is Plan, Prioritize, and Protect. The weekly planning routine is where all three happen at once.
Ok, ready? Let's get into it.
How to Create a Weekly Planning Routine in 5 Steps
ONE || Pick your planning day and PROTECT it
The first step is picking a consistent day and time for your weekly planning routine – and then actually protecting it on your calendar like it's a meeting you can't cancel.
For me, that's Friday. Every week, I have a CEO Reset blocked from 10:30AM to 12PM. It's non-negotiable, it's on my calendar, and it has honestly become my favorite part of the week.
But it wasn't always Friday. When I was teaching full-time, Sundays felt way too busy (the Sunday scaries were REAL), so I used to do it on Thursday mornings before school started. And honestly? Both worked. The point isn't WHICH day – it's that you pick one and you actually show up for it.
Block 30-60 minutes – that's genuinely all you need
Pick a time when you have some mental energy, not the tail end of a chaotic day
Protect it like an appointment you can't move
TWO || Do a quick review of the week that's wrapping up
Before you start planning forward, take 5-10 minutes to look back.
What got done?What didn't?Were there things you said you'd do that kept getting pushed?Did anything unexpected eat up way more time than it should have?
This is NOT about beating yourself up. It's about getting honest with yourself so you can plan smarter next week. If the same task has been on your list for three weeks in a row... something has to give. Either it gets done first, or it gets dropped.
I do this review right inside my SYS Planner – it has a built-in section for it, which makes this whole step way faster.
THREE || Write down every appointment and commitment for the week ahead
This is the part I love most... actually putting pen to paper.
Open your Google Calendar (or whatever you use to track appointments) and get a bird's eye view of the week ahead. Then write EVERYTHING down – business calls, client meetings, kids' activities, doctor's appointments, all of it – into your planner.
Why write it down if it's already digital? Because writing it locks it in your brain. When I physically write out my week, I basically have it memorized before Monday even starts. I know what my days look like at a glance. No scrambling, no "wait, when is that call again?"
Personal appointments
Business calls + meetings
Kids' activities and school stuff
Anything else that's claiming time on your calendar
If it's on your calendar, it goes in your planner. That's the rule.
FOUR || Time block your work hours
Ok... this one is the real game changer. And I know "time blocking" sounds intense, but I promise it's not.
All you're doing is looking at the gaps between your appointments and deciding what TYPE of work is going to happen in each window.
For example: if I have a call at 10AM and I'm free from 11AM to 1PM, I might block that window for writing emails or knocking out a bigger project. I don't schedule it down to the minute – I just need to know what's happening in that window so I'm not sitting down and going "now what?"
Some things worth blocking that people forget:
✔️ Lunch (yes, you're allowed to eat)
✔️ School drop-off and pick-up
✔️ Your Power Hour or daily startup routine
✔️ Deep work blocks where you need zero interruptions
Time blocking shows you WHERE your time is actually going – and helps you stop saying yes to things that don't fit.
FIVE || Write your to-do list and flag your IPAs
Last step... and this one ties everything together.
Your weekly to-do list should live right alongside your calendar in your planner. Write down what needs to get done each day, and make sure your most important tasks – your IPAs, or Income Producing Activities – are at the TOP.
IPAs are the things that directly make you money. Sending an email to your list. Following up with a lead. Posting on social media. Updating your sales page. These have to get prioritized ABOVE the busywork that feels productive but isn't actually moving your business forward.
If you're not asking "did I do something to sell today?" at the end of your work day... your weekly planning routine needs an IPA check.
This is literally the foundation of the SYS Planner – every week starts with your goals, then your weekly priorities, then your daily to-do list. It's all connected.
Your Weekly Planning Routine Doesn't Have to Be Perfect
Here's what I want you to walk away knowing...
You don't have to do this exactly like I do. You don't need a fancy setup or the "perfect" system. You just need to show up consistently every week and do the thing.
Start simple. Block 30 minutes on your calendar. Pick a day. Write it down. That's it.
And if you want a planner that makes this whole process stupid simple? The SYS Planner was designed around this exact routine – weekly goal setting, daily priorities, time blocking, all in one place.
And because your weeks deserve a plan that actually works
Not ready to grab the planner yet? Start with my free CEO Weekly Reset guide. It's a great first step into building a weekly planning routine that actually sticks.
