So you know those movie scenes where the President is down in the situation room with the cabinet strategically planning how they’re going to stop the next nuclear threat?

Well that’s exactly how I start every week.

Except it's just me... with a coffee, doing my weekly review.

BUT the stakes feel just as high.

Before every week starts, I sit down for about an hour to plan out the week ahead.

And to be honest? I don’t always feel up to it.

It takes real mental energy and some deep thinking that isn’t particularly fun.

But it’s probably the single most important thing I do each week to stay on track and avoid spiraling.

Because without it, by midweek things start to pile up. Open loops eat away at my mind. I become reactive, distracted, just doing whatever task screams loudest for my attention.

That’s obviously not where we want to be.

But when I do it? I feel in control of my time and where I allocate my efforts.

I can look at everything going on in my personal and professional lives, everything I could devote time to and strategically decide what to prioritize and more importantly what to say no to.

Because the truth is we can't do everything. (At least I know I can't... if you can please reply to this email and tell me your secrets 😅)

Here’s the thing though, most people jump straight into planning their tasks and calendar events.

But that’s backwards.

Before I can decide what to do this week, I need to remind myself why I’m doing any of this.

What’s the daily life I actually want to live?
What’s my vision for the future?

A lot to ask yourself on a Monday morning...

I’ve written this stuff down in Apple Notes. So every week I just read through it (preferably out loud) to recalibrate my brain to the bigger picture.

THEN I plan the specifics.

Without that first step, you’ll not only waste time on things that don’t matter, but you’ll procrastinate more because you’ve forgotten what you’re doing it all for.

One hour before each week starts. That’s it.

It’s kept me sane for years.

Have a productive week!

(and do your weekly review if you haven’t already)

— Miles

P.S. If you’re interested in organizing and systematizing your life, join 200+ people on the waitlist for my upcoming Purposeful Productivity program by clicking here.