If you’ve had the benefit of a four-day work week, you know the importance of managing your time and your priorities.

From avoiding deadline overload to knowing which tasks should be outsourced, there are several strategies you need to implement if you want to make the most of your time.

But with so much to do in a day, it can be difficult to know what to focus on.

Lucky for you, we’ve got you covered.

In today’s article, we’ll show you how to make the most of your four-day work week in a few simple steps.

Ready?

Let’s go!

1. Relieve unnecessary stress by getting the essentials in order

There’s nothing quite like the pain of knowing you have tasks looming over your head that you wanted to do – but didn’t. To take unnecessary stress off your plate, you need to take the time to cross everything on your list that you’ve been procrastinating.

So in this step, start making a list. Then create a plan to tackle each task on your list.

Would you like to reorganize your home office? Spend the rest of the morning tidying up your desk and organizing your files.

Haven’t submitted your Q2 taxes yet? Then spend the afternoon getting your taxes in order or meeting your accountant for assistance.

Continue until you have completed all of the tasks on your list. You will thank us later! 😉

2. Automate your processes

When time is of the essence, automation is your best friend.

So in this step, start outlining your day-to-day operations process by process. Be sure to list the steps in each process, the tools you use, and any redundant tasks.

Here is an abbreviated example:

• Morning operation: Email marketing via Mailchimp for 1 hour, social media marketing via Planable for 2 hours
• Afternoon operation: Standing meeting with Tyler via Zoom for 1 hour, Project management tasks via monday.com for 2 hours, Standing team meeting via Zoom for 1 hour

Finally, consider what tools you can use to automate redundant tasks. For example, if you have a sales team, implementing automated predictive lead scoring with Breadcrumbs.io can significantly reduce your team’s time to qualify leads.

If you host regular meetings, using a scheduling automation tool like Calendly can help you set recurring meetings with built-in reminders.

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Here are some other examples of tasks you can automate:

• Email Replies
• Tasks in project management
• Billing Reminders
• appointment booking
• task reminders
• Tasks for teamwork

3. Outsource your marketing content

Marketing is incredibly time consuming. Luckily, agencies, freelancers, and virtual assistants have transformed the way companies approach their marketing results.

And the reason is simple.

Marketing is a business in itself. It requires a keen eye for strategy, research, planning and execution. If you don’t have the skills or an in-house marketing team, you may be spending most of your time on marketing activities.

For this reason, outsourcing your marketing is a godsend.

In this step, create a list of all marketing activities that you are currently involved in.

For example:

• Content planning and writing for the company blog
• Planning and writing newsletters
• Social Media Marketing
• sales pitches

Then make a list of possible solutions for each activity.

For example, instead of taking the planning and writing of content into your own hands, you should opt for content writing services or content planning services provided by an agency or freelancer. Or, instead of making sales calls, consider hiring a virtual sales assistant to take care of it for you.

And that brings us to…

4. Delegate superfluous tasks to a virtual assistant or employee

Prioritize the right tasks and delegate the rest.

In this step, it’s time to eliminate unnecessary, repetitive tasks.

Again, start listing all of your redundant responsibilities. For example:

• email traffic
• appointment booking
• order processing
• data entry
• schedule organization
• meeting scheduling

Then take an honest look at your list. What tasks do you have to do yourself? Cross these tasks off your list because you will not delegate them.

Now look at some of the tasks you can try to give to others. Write down the time it usually takes you to complete these tasks. Label these tasks “grey tasks” or color them in with a gray crayon.

Next, draw a star next to each remaining task. Finally, delegate these activities to an employee or virtual assistant.

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Finally, take a second look at your gray tasks. While you may be able to take care of these todos yourself, the following two questions can help you decide if it’s worth it:

1. Will this role help me achieve my long-term business goals?
2. Is this task the best use of my time?

If you answered yes to any of the tasks highlighted in grey, you can cross them off the list – you will not be delegating them. If you answered “No” to gray tasks, draw a star next to them – you would delegate these to employees or a virtual assistant.

5. Benefit from effective time management strategies

We can’t stress enough how important it is to implement effective time management strategies in order to make the most of your four day work week.

Here are the time management best practices that we recommend the most:

Build in a buffer time to prevent tasks or appointments from overflowing

Plan 10 to 15 minutes before and after each meeting to avoid schedule overload. Schedule your task and project deadlines two to three business days in advance to avoid task overload.

Block of time to get things done

Allocate specific blocks of time to complete each task on your list.

For example:

• 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.: email traffic
• 10:15 am to 1:15 pm: Quality Control Analysis
• 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Quality Control Reports

Put your phone in do not disturb mode and focus on depth during each block of time.

Set timers to reduce break times

Motivate yourself to keep the momentum going by setting timers when you’re working on something. Set a time goal for each task and try to complete the task before your alarm clock goes off. Rinse and repeat.

Track time to predict future turnarounds

Track your time on every project, task, meeting and administrative activity. Then analyze your time patterns to better predict future turnaround times. Finally, take this tip by always aiming to beat your average turnaround time.

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Work during peak energy times

Are you an early riser, a night owl, or do you thrive during traditional work hours? Either way, make the most of your time by working during peak energy times.

6. Use your free time wisely

A 4-day week gives you 72 hours to continue working on your personal development. It could mean advancing your education, discovering new creative passions, or taking significant steps toward your greatest dreams.

On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with using this extra day off for relaxation or fun! According to a recent study, employees who take vacation time are happier, healthier, and more productive when they return to work.

By structuring your free time, you can ensure you can relax and fully recharge so you can return to work refreshed and ready for whatever challenges come your way.

Yes, we are talking about work-life balance.

Here are some ways to refuel and make the most of your free time:

• Make plans with a loved one or friend
• Make plans yourself – go to the cinema or to a quiet dinner
• Do something you enjoy e.g. B. Pursue one of your favorite hobbies or read a book you love
• Incorporate relaxing activities into your day, such as B. take a slow walk, get a massage, keep a journal or prepare a light and healthy meal
• Discover a new place in your community
• Plan a weekend getaway with your best friend

Wrap up

A thorough understanding and awareness of how you spend your time and priorities are critical to getting the most out of your four-day workweek.

From automating redundant tasks to organizing your most important things, we hope the steps we’ve shared with you today will help you create the work-life balance we all strive for. You deserve a life outside of work and we want to help you achieve that.

To be on the safe side, here’s a quick recap of what we’ve covered:

• 1. Relieve unnecessary stress by getting the essentials in order
• 2. Automate your processes
• 3. Outsource your marketing content
• 4. Delegate superfluous tasks to a virtual assistant or employee
• 5. Benefit from effective time management strategies
• 6. Use your free time wisely

And that’s it. Are you ready to make the most of your four day work week?

Let us know how we can help you. We have virtual assistants and qualified candidates ready to go and give you the support you need. Book a free consultation today to learn more.

Author Bio:

Ioana Wilkinson

Ioana is a freelance content writer and SEO strategist for B2B and B2C brands specializing in business, digital marketing, SaaS, technology and mental health. Born in Transylvania, raised in Texas and transplanted to Barcelona, ​​Ioana’s recent move has taken her to sunny Mexico.