“Thank god it’s Friday,” are we right? But while you might be mentally clocking out as the weekend draws closer, clock your brain back in. There are some smart, productive things you can do before leaving work on Friday night, your swivel chair still swiveling from your high-speed escape.
We asked the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) for their advice on the best to-do list items for a right-before-the-weekend afternoon, and here’s what they had to say:
1. Celebrate your wins before leaving work on Friday.
It’s easy to look back on your week and think about what you’ve not yet done and what’s still outstanding. A good practice to cultivate is reviewing what went well and celebrating it. It reminds you to focus on your progress, the positive highs, and helps you start your weekend off in the right frame of mind.
—Lea Woodward, Kinetiva
2. Hold a team meeting.
Team meetings on Friday can be a great way to recap the week and plan for the next one. With tasks and objectives clearly laid out, you can also get a head start over the weekend and start Monday with a sound plan. Be sure to set the agenda, record objectives and define responsibilities.
—Andrew Thomas, andrewpaulthomas.com
3. Clean your desk before leaving work on Friday.
Nothing is worse than coming in on Monday morning to a stack of papers, boxes or scattered pens and notebooks. Taking the time to tidy your workspace before closing down on Friday is essential for starting the next week on a positive, welcoming note. Cleaning up your space will also help you mentally start to unplug from work in preparation for the weekend.
—Kim Kaupe, Bright Ideas Only
4. Reflect.
At the end of the day, it’s important to reflect. Before shutting down my computer on Friday evening, I usually ask myself a few questions: “What have I accomplished this week?” and “What do I want to accomplish next week? Next month? Next year?” An entrepreneur should always be aware of their recent accomplishments and reflect to better plan for their future success.
—Joe Apfelbaum, Ajax Union
5. Review next week’s calendar before leaving work on Friday.
Review your calendar for Monday, so you have a head start on the week.
—Phil Dumontet, Whole Sol
6. Put up a killer away message.
First, you deserve to take a weekend. If you typically work on weekends, too, put up your away message to make sure that people don’t expect a quick response. Second, use the away message to drive traffic. Link to an awesome article or video on your website so people can check it out while they wait. I have increased traffic on the weekends because my away message drives emailers to my latest posts.
—Vanessa Van Edwards, Science of People
This article was published in December 2014 and has been updated. Photo by WAYHOME studio/Shutterstock
Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.
