Weekly planning | Why and how to do it

Definition

Usually presented in the form of a clear, colourful table, the weekly planner is a kind of business calendar or weekly planner. Under its childish guise, it is a powerful solution for optimising time management. From Monday to Friday, Tuesday to Saturday, etc., it provides an exhaustive weekly snapshot and a precise view of the tasks to be carried out each day. So that the director, manager or employee can identify the actions to be taken and the priorities.

A weekly schedule - like a map over several consecutive days - allows you to :

• allocate time slots to meet business needs ;
• break down work periods (actual work, lunch breaks, meetings, training, etc.) ;
• share availability between team members ;
• highlighting the organisation as a whole for greater proaction.

This timetable obviously needs to be adapted to the business plan of the company using it..

The advantage of getting organised

Being able to refer to a table that centralises all activities is a comfort at work that contributes to general well-being. Like a sports coach detailing on a board the position and role of each player on the pitch, everyone knows what to expect individually and collectively:

• Work to be carried out at time T ;
• positioning of team members ;
• status of related services ;

The advantage of being flexible

Which brings us to the second advantage: flexibility. Imagine you're behind the wheel of your car with a route all mapped out for you. However, when faced with the weather, roadworks or an accident: even with a good GPS, the road will probably not be as you imagined it. You may need to deal with unforeseen circumstances to get back on track. The same applies when you draw up your weekly schedule. It establishes an ideal course of action, but it is never set in stone. It's a weekly plan designed to support you, but you're in charge.

The advantage of Anticipating

The consequence of flexibility: prioritisation and anticipation. If you have a decisive project underway, it will be easier for you to understand its repercussions within the team. All you need to do is structure the project in several stages, or bring in new collaborators. So you can :

• maintain control over the detailed organisation;
• meet deadlines.

The advantage of being educational and productive

By using an online working time management tool, it will be very easy to create a clear schedule that respects everyone's rhythm. Any changes are visible as soon as the data is saved, participants are instantly alerted to a person's activity, their presence in a meeting, etc. Avoiding superfluous exchanges (which are legion from Monday to Friday), will have the advantage of enhancing the value of individuals and generously influencing productivity.

In a nutshell

Organising your day-to-day tasks with a weekly schedule helps to promote understanding, cohesion and therefore the success of your assignments. With practice, it allows you to quickly share and channel individual and joint objectives at a glance. So you can look forward to the week ahead with confidence, whatever your role in the company.

Not sure where to start? Here are the 5 main steps to achieve this.

List your tasks

From the most important tasks to the smallest:

• Draw up a summary of all the objectives to be achieved, in the form of a list or a tree structure (whichever you find most meaningful).
• Gather all your information in a single place and use it as a database to build your weekly calendars.
• Create a model to-do list that you can refine with practice.

List your resources

For each project to be carried out, you will need to assign a team, or more precisely, collaborators. To do this, it is essential to take stock of your resources, i.e. :

• The number of services
• The role of the teams
• The qualifications and names of people who can meet the requirements.

This first stage is essential for the presentation of the rows and columns that will appear on your future weekly schedule.

Our advice for these first 2 stages (and the following ones): if you do it with a group, it will be more stimulating and you'll be less likely to forget.

Define your priorities and deadlines

Another crucial phase: using the time slots that concern you, go back over your tree structure or your to-do list to define the priorities. For each line of tasks or weekly objectives, you will need :

• Assign a corresponding deadline ;
• Determine the time needed to complete the project ;
• Selecting the human resources to guarantee success ;
• Assessing the right time to start the project ;

Our advice for this 3rd stage :
Use clear, concise headings to draw up your weekly schedule, and always leave room for unforeseen events. (Substitute days and staff in the event of absence).

Plan your missions by importance

Prioritising your weekly tasks can be a real headache. That's why a weekly plan will make it easier for you to organise them. These priorities include

• Distinguish between short- and long-term objectives ;
• Break long deadlines into short tasks ;
• Spread your assignments over several weeks.

Our advice for this 4th stage :
Communicate information to your teams as early as possible. They will appreciate the initiative and will be in a better position to prepare themselves in advance.

Weekly review

Whether at the beginning, middle or end of the week, it's up to you to choose your pace. But don't neglect the weekly review, which will enable you to :

• Encourage your employees ;
• Make sure you're on time ;
• Quickly identify obstacles and barriers ;
• Finding solutions to bounce back immediatelyt ;

Our advice for this 5th and final stage:
Don't hesitate to involve your circle of colleagues. They will be able to offer you their own vision and will be all the more involved in the project and its deadlines.

Create a weekly schedule

Excel schedules

The tool of choice for many companies, the famous spreadsheet software makes it easy to set up and gain initial experience of working independently. Once you have mastered its functions, it will be quick and easy to create a weekly calendar and implement it in your company.

The advantages of an Excel management chart

You'll find all kinds of pre-designed weekly planners on Microsoft media. Planning templates available to users, which you can select and customise according to your resources and assignments. Perfect for a fixed organisation, but more demanding when it comes to changing your schedule over the course of the week.

The disadvantages of Excel planning

A handy way of getting started in planning management, the Excel spreadsheet can - on the other hand - prove to be a source of errors. As this type of device is not really intuitive, it requires great rigour and skills worthy of a virtuoso. Even with a small structure, remember that its success will rest entirely on your shoulders. Schedule management has its limits, as it is very time-consuming for the person in charge.

Online planning and software

It's a "new" generation of planners, with a host of features to make your day-to-day life easier. But, in reality, it's not such a 'new' generation. The proof, at PlanningPME, we have been developing solutions for over 20 years for managing company schedules. In fact, since 2002, we've been constantly striving to offer you even better alternatives. and collaborative, while taking care to reconcile human needs and productivity.

Advantages of a connected weekly planner

• Set parameters to match your core business.
• Enables you to produce schedules that comply with legislation.
• Limits human error.

Drawing up a weekly schedule with the help of assisted management will pave the way for serene organisation. Especially if your profession requires frequent adjustments.

PlanningPME solutions

Staff schedules, holidays and absences, task management, projects, meeting room occupancy, training, teleworking, etc. Our intuitive solutions cover all business requirements, whatever the size of the company.

• Automated planning software ;
• Collaborative online planning ;
• Support, advice and training services ;

Interested in an efficient, interactive weekly schedule? PlanningPME answers your first questions.