Forethought

Today I’m giving forethought to the week ahead. It’s a ritual that sets me up to have a great week ahead.

There’s the logistical checklist of questions and planning:

What is on the calendar?

What are my priorities and the non-negotiables?

What can I re-prioritise?

And, as always, those that require a little extra effort:

What does a great week look like?

What will I be mindful of this week?

I stop at this last question. I reflect on the calendar and priority list filled with many competing demands.

Interruptions.

This week I must be mindful of the impact that interruptions - and the resultant switching costs - may have on my days.

Studies show that it takes about 25 minutes to get back on track after an interruption. It’s no wonder some days things turn pear-shaped. And, whilst the simplistic answer is to avoid interruptions, we know this isn’t always possible.

Sometimes, like this coming week for me, you can foresee an interrupted workflow. This awareness enables me to work with it, rather than push against and become frustrated. I can look for the moments that I know uninterrupted, deep work is possible, and go with the flow on those other occasions.

As the saying goes, forewarned is forearmed.

I’m curious, how might a forethought practice benefit you this coming week?

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