Plan Your Week of Your Week Will Plan You
February 24, 2025
Plan your week or your week will plan you!
Ever Feel Like Your Week Runs You Instead of the Other Way Around?
You wake up Monday morning already feeling behind. The to-do list is endless, meetings pile up, and by Friday, you’re wondering where the time went. Sound familiar?
That’s because when you don’t plan your week with intention, your week will plan itself—and not in a way that serves you. Instead, you’ll spend your time reacting to everyone else’s priorities instead of making progress on your own.
If you want to stop feeling overwhelmed and start feeling in control, it starts with a plan.
Why This Matters
Time is your most valuable resource. Successful people don’t let their time get hijacked by distractions, interruptions, and last-minute chaos. They set the agenda and make decisions based on their priorities, not someone else’s.
When you take control of your week, you:
Reduce stress and avoid the feeling of always being behind.
Get more done in less time with focused, intentional work.
Have space for what truly matters—your health, family, and personal growth.
The choice is simple: Run your week, or let it run you.
How to Plan Your Week Like a Pro
1. Set Your Non-Negotiables First
- Before you get caught up in the noise of emails, meetings, and last-minute requests, identify your non-negotiables—the things that must happen no matter what.
- Your personal priorities (workouts, family time, self-care)
- Your biggest work goals (projects, deadlines, creative work)
- Your key commitments (meetings that truly matter, important calls)
Pro Tip: Block these out in your calendar first. If you don’t prioritize them, someone else will fill your time for you.
2. Time Block Like a Pro
Successful people don’t just hope they’ll find time for what matters—they schedule it.
- Morning Focus Blocks – Use your most productive hours for deep work, strategy, or creative thinking.
- Meeting Blocks – Instead of scattered meetings all day, batch them into designated time slots.
- Breaks & Buffer Time – Avoid burnout by scheduling pauses and flex time for the unexpected.
Pro Tip: If it’s not on your calendar, it’s not a priority. Period.
3. Win the First 90 Minutes of Your Day
- How you start your morning sets the tone for your entire day. Instead of diving into emails and distractions, protect your first 90 minutes for high-impact work.
- Work on your biggest goal before the world interrupts you.
-Avoid reactive tasks like social media and emails.
- Set clear intentions: What MUST get done today?
Pro Tip: When you own your mornings, you control your day. And when you control your days, you control your life.
4. Plan for the Unexpected
No week ever goes exactly as planned. The key is building in flexibility.
- Create a “Catch-Up” Block – Leave open time for overflow tasks.
- Use a “Must-Do” & “Nice-to-Do” List – Prioritize what truly matters.
- Say No More Often – If it doesn’t align with your goals, protect your time.
Pro Tip: Disruptions will happen. But when you have a plan, they don’t throw you completely off course.
5. End Your Week with a Reset
- Before you wrap up on Friday, take 10 minutes to reflect and reset for the next week.
What went well?
What needs to be adjusted?
What’s the #1 thing you need to focus on next week?
Pro Tip: Starting the next week with clarity helps you avoid the Monday scramble and sets you up for success.
My Challenge to You
Before this week starts: Take 10 minutes to plan your week.
• Block your non-negotiables.
• Set clear goals.
• Protect your time.
Because a week well-planned is a week well-lived.
Key Takeaways
- If you don’t plan your week, your week will plan you.
- Schedule your priorities first before others dictate your time.
- Use time blocking to stay in control and avoid distractions.
- The first 90 minutes of your day can set the tone for success.
- Expect the unexpected—build flexibility into your schedule.
Join the Conversation
How do you plan your week for success?
What’s one thing you’ll change about how you schedule your time?
Drop your thoughts in the comments! Let’s learn from each other.
Like & share if this helped you take back control of your week!
Until we meet again: Be a Leader. Be a Learner. Be Kind.
Dr. Roy Bishop, Jr.
Ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? Click Here to sign up for a complimentary 1-hour leadership consultation with me today! Let's work together to equip you with everything you need to achieve greatness!
Check out our website at www.jointhebeteam.com for more tips, tools, and resources for leaders!
share this
Related Articles
1 Truth · 2 Strategies · 1 Reflection Weekly Leadership Lift with Dr. Roy Bishop, Jr. If you want to avoid burnout, start your day with yourself before you give it away to everyone else. Most educational leaders wake up and immediately jump into emails, messages, or mental checklists of what needs to get done. Before the day even begins, you’re already reacting instead of leading. And when every day starts like that, burnout isn’t a possibility; it’s a guarantee. You can’t lead others well if you don’t lead your own morning first. 1 Truth The tone of your morning sets the temperature for your leadership. When you wake up rushing, your day stays rushed. When you wake up grounded, your day follows your rhythm, not everyone else’s. The best leaders don’t wait for peace to find them; they create it. That’s why every morning should begin with intentional stillness, a quiet moment to connect with yourself before the demands of the day take over. Whether it’s reflection, working out, journaling, or silence, those first minutes shape how you think, decide, and show up for others. 2 Strategies to Live It Out 1. Create a “No Noise” Zone (I have to do this in my car sometimes…) Spend your first 15–20 minutes without screens, texts, or social media. Instead, check in with your mindset. Ask yourself: What do I need to feel centered today? Maybe it’s gratitude, calm, or focus. When you take control of your internal environment, you can handle anything that happens in your external one. 2. Set an Intention, Not Just a Schedule. Before you dive into your calendar, decide how you want to be today, not just what you want to do. For example: “Today I will lead with patience.” “Today I will listen more than I speak.” This simple shift helps you lead from clarity instead of chaos. 1 Reflection Question What’s the first thing you focus on each morning and how does it impact the rest of your day? Take Action Tomorrow morning, try this: wake up 15 minutes earlier. Don’t check your phone. Don’t open your email. Just sit with your thoughts, breathe, stretch, or write. Give yourself the first and best part of your day. That single act of discipline will protect your energy more than any time-management strategy ever could. Final Word Avoiding burnout doesn’t require a total life overhaul, it requires a consistent commitment to start your day on purpose. You can’t pour into others if you’re already empty when the day begins. Lead your morning, and you’ll lead your mindset. Lead your mindset, and you’ll lead your day. Lead your day, and you’ll lead your life. Until next time, Be a Leader. Be a Learner. Be Kind. Let’s keep leading together. Dr. Roy Bishop, Jr. Founder of The Be Team I help leaders and future leaders, from the classroom to the boardroom, build confidence, protect their peace, and grow into the best version of themselves by learning to grow through the seasons of feeling stuck, burnt out, or overlooked. It happens to all of us at some point so why not prepare for it? Because leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about becoming. And I believe that everyone, no matter their age or experience, deserves the chance to be the leader they were meant to be.
1 Truth · 2 Strategies · 1 Reflection Somewhere along the way, I started confusing being busy with being effective. I’ve always been told that working longer hours and sacrificing rest somehow proves our dedication. But being exhausted isn’t a sign that you’re doing great work. It’s a sign that you’re doing too much of the wrong work (there is such a thing), the kind that drains your purpose instead of fueling it. As educational leaders, we pour into everyone else, students, staff, and families and often forget to pour back into ourselves. Leadership isn’t about doing it all. It’s about doing what matters most, with energy, clarity, and intention. You can’t lead effectively if you’re constantly running on fumes (I have never seen this done well). 1 Truth You’re not tired because you’re weak. You’re tired because you’re operating without renewal. When you ignore rest, reflection, and boundaries, you trade long-term effectiveness for short-term validation. Exhaustion might look like dedication, but it’s really depletion. Strong leaders understand that protecting their energy isn’t selfish, it’s smart. The best version of you isn’t the busiest one. It’s the one that’s focused, fueled, and fully present for your team, your students, and yourself (we often forget about ourselves in the equation). 2 Strategies to Live It Out Audit Your Energy Before the week gets away from you, take a few minutes to ask yourself: What gives me energy? What drains it? Then make one small adjustment. Maybe it’s saying no to an extra meeting, taking a short walk instead of scrolling your phone, or turning off notifications after hours. Awareness creates alignment, and alignment builds sustainability. Rest Without Guilt Rest is not a reward for getting everything done. It’s a requirement for showing up as your best self. Schedule your recovery time like any other meeting (seriously, put it on your calendar now or it won’t happen). Sleep, quiet reflection, and personal time don’t make you soft. They make you last. The leaders who thrive long-term are the ones who protect their peace and model balance for others (I used to be really bad at this). 1 Reflection Question What is one responsibility or mindset I’ve been holding onto that no longer deserves my energy? Take Action Take ten minutes today to define your energy boundaries. Write down three things that drain you and three things that refuel you. Keep that list somewhere visible. Every time you start to feel overwhelmed, go back to it. Your energy is your leadership advantage so protect it. Final Word Exhaustion is not a requirement of leadership; it’s a signal that something needs to change. You don’t have to prove your worth by overworking yourself. You prove it by showing up whole, grounded, and consistent. When you protect your peace, you amplify your presence. When you slow down, you gain clarity. When you take care of yourself, you give everyone around you permission to do the same. Until next time, Be a Leader. Be a Learner. Be Kind. Let’s keep leading together. Dr. Roy Bishop, Jr. Founder of The Be Team — helping educational leaders lead with purpose, balance, and mindset. I help leaders and future leaders from the classroom to the boardroom, build confidence, protect their peace, and grow into the best version of themselves by learning to grow through the seasons of feeling stuck, burnt out, or overlooked. It happens to all of us at some point, so why not prepare for it? Because leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about becoming. And I believe that everyone, no matter their age or experience, deserves the chance to be the leader they were meant to be.
1 Truth · 2 Strategies · 1 Reflection Somewhere along the way, I started confusing being busy with being effective. I’ve always been told that working longer hours and sacrificing rest somehow proves our dedication. But being exhausted isn’t a sign that you’re doing great work. It’s a sign that you’re doing too much of the wrong work (there is such a thing), the kind that drains your purpose instead of fueling it. As educational leaders, we pour into everyone else, students, staff, and families and often forget to pour back into ourselves. Leadership isn’t about doing it all. It’s about doing what matters most, with energy, clarity, and intention. You can’t lead effectively if you’re constantly running on fumes (I have never seen this done well). 1 Truth You’re not tired because you’re weak. You’re tired because you’re operating without renewal. When you ignore rest, reflection, and boundaries, you trade long-term effectiveness for short-term validation. Exhaustion might look like dedication, but it’s really depletion. Strong leaders understand that protecting their energy isn’t selfish, it’s smart. The best version of you isn’t the busiest one. It’s the one that’s focused, fueled, and fully present for your team, your students, and yourself (we often forget about ourselves in the equation). 2 Strategies to Live It Out 1. Audit Your Energy Before the week gets away from you, take a few minutes to ask yourself: What gives me energy? What drains it? Then make one small adjustment. Maybe it’s saying no to an extra meeting, taking a short walk instead of scrolling your phone, or turning off notifications after hours. Awareness creates alignment, and alignment builds sustainability. 2. Rest Without Guilt Rest is not a reward for getting everything done. It’s a requirement for showing up as your best self. Schedule your recovery time like any other meeting (seriously, put it on your calendar now or it won’t happen). Sleep, quiet reflection, and personal time don’t make you soft. They make you last. The leaders who thrive long-term are the ones who protect their peace and model balance for others (I used to be really bad at this). 1 Reflection Question What is one responsibility or mindset I’ve been holding onto that no longer deserves my energy? Take Action Take ten minutes today to define your energy boundaries. Write down three things that drain you and three things that refuel you. Keep that list somewhere visible. Every time you start to feel overwhelmed, go back to it. Your energy is your leadership advantage so protect it. Final Word Exhaustion is not a requirement of leadership; it’s a signal that something needs to change. You don’t have to prove your worth by overworking yourself. You prove it by showing up whole, grounded, and consistent. When you protect your peace, you amplify your presence. When you slow down, you gain clarity. When you take care of yourself, you give everyone around you permission to do the same. Until next time, Be a Leader. Be a Learner. Be Kind. Let’s keep leading together. Dr. Roy Bishop, Jr. Founder of The Be Team — helping educational leaders lead with purpose, balance, and mindset. I help leaders and future leaders from the classroom to the boardroom, build confidence, protect their peace, and grow into the best version of themselves by learning to grow through the seasons of feeling stuck, burnt out, or overlooked. It happens to all of us at some point, so why not prepare for it? Because leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about becoming. And I believe that everyone, no matter their age or experience, deserves the chance to be the leader they were meant to be.
STAY UP TO DATE
the latest from the be team
Receive an alert anytime a new post drops
Contact Us
