Joan Olisa’s Post

Once upon a time... (Fear not, this story has a happy ending) - I was sitting at my desk one Friday afternoon in 2017 feeling disappointed. Despite working really hard that week, my inbox was still overflowing, my to do list was not all ticked off, not all my important tasks were complete and the following week was already packed full of meetings. I deserved to feel accomplished having provided excellent service for our customers, supported my department of 70 staff and hit deadlines on all my projects. Instead I felt overwhelmed and had the realisation something had to change. On Monday morning I started measuring what I was doing and how long it took, paying attention to things that could be deferred or even dropped altogether. Then I changed the way I worked, finding ways to make better decisions, prioritise the right things and get important stuff done. In particular, I changed my approach to my inbox (that had been dominating my day) and took control back. Measuring the difference, I was astounded how much time I was saving and how I did not feel stressed anymore. Before long Friday afternoons looked very different - inbox zero, to do list ticked off, calendar for the next week in good shape and time allocated for important work, before the deadline. One colleague commented that I had changed and described me as serene. Why am I telling this story? Well for me, it was a game changer so I wanted to help other people feel similar relief, finish work on time, feel accomplished and get great results. So I wrote a course to deliver to my team and later, to my peer group. Feedback was amazing so I started to wonder if there was a place for my valuable insights and formula, beyond my place of work. By 2022 I was launching my training business Aspiration Station and writing a multi winning program Fast Track To Time Back. It is brilliant helping people who had the same experience as me, take control of their day and reclaim 5 hours a week. Don't you just love a 'happy ever after'?

Ever wonder what an entrepreneur’s week really looks like? Here’s a peek into mine—it’s a bit of a rollercoaster, but it works for me! 🎢✨ 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆: This is my “get my life together” day. If I didn’t get enough prep done on Sunday, Monday is all about setting the tone for the week—planning, organizing, and getting everything lined up. 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆: By now, things are rolling. It’s my power day to tackle big projects and meetings. Everything is in motion, and I’m focused on executing what was planned Monday. 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆: I’m usually feeling the mid-week fatigue, but it’s also my lightest meeting day, so I use it to run errands or handle tasks that need attention outside of work. 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆: This is my unofficial “end of the week.” I push hard to finish up major tasks because I aim to keep Friday light and flexible. 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆: This is my “catch-all” day. Ideally, my to-do list is empty, and I use Friday to tie up any loose ends, respond to quick Slacks, or take care of small tasks that pop up throughout the week. 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀? If I’ve managed my week right, I take a half-day and head into the weekend early! 🙌 The goal is to get ahead and give myself flexibility. Everyone’s week looks different, but what matters is finding a flow that works for you. What’s your weekly routine like? Do you have certain days you dedicate to specific tasks, or is it more of a day-to-day hustle? Let’s chat in the comments! ⏰🚀 #onlinebusinessmanager #weeklyplan #business

It’s only Tuesday, But a lot of people feel their week is already off track! A simple weekly plan can keep you focused—and it doesn’t need to be perfect. By Tuesday, many people feel like they’ve already lost control of their week. No clear priorities. Too many distractions. Sound familiar? If your week isn’t planned, it’s hard to stay on track. I’ve learned that ending the week with reflection and starting the next with a simple plan changes everything. Here’s my system: ✅ Friday Reflection At the end of my Friday, I take 10–15 minutes to reflect on the week and ask myself: ➡️What went well? ➡️What didn’t? ➡️What’s the one big thing I want to achieve next week? ✅ Sunday Morning Planning With a cup of coffee in hand, I spend 30 minutes planning my week. ➡️I use the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize tasks—not just the urgent ones, but the leveraged ones that drive real progress. ➡️I love to find that one task that, if done, will create momentum on other tasks—or even eliminate them altogether. ✅ Leave Space for Flexibility One pitfall I’ve seen is trying to schedule every single minute. ➡️I leave buffer times toward the end of my week to account for unexpected events, or emergencies. ➡️If you have a week where nothing comes up, you now have some free time to do what you like. Here’s the thing: You don’t need two hours to plan your week. Practice getting it done in 30 minutes—even an imperfect plan is better than no plan. Since I started sticking to this system, my weeks have become more focused, productive, and less chaotic—even by Tuesday. I also work with my clients on building this habit, and the transformation has been incredible. They’re hitting more goals, staying consistent, and feeling less overwhelmed—all from sticking to a simple weekly planning routine. What day do you plan your week? Or do you just wing it?

Thursday Review Day: Let’s Chat About Wrapping Up Your Week! 📝 It’s Thursday! You know what that means—it’s time for a quick check-in. I like to call it Thursday Review Day, and trust me, it can be a game-changer for how you manage your week. 🚀 We all know how easy it is to get caught up in the daily hustle, jumping from one task to the next without really thinking about whether we’re making progress. Ever get to Friday and think, “Wait, what happened this week?” Yeah, me too. 🤯 That’s exactly why I think Thursdays are the perfect day to take a step back, pause, and reflect on how things are going. 🛑 Why Thursday? Think of it like halftime in a game. 🏀 Teams don’t wait until the last second to check if their strategy is working—they do it midway. It gives them a chance to assess what’s going well, what’s not, and what adjustments are needed to finish strong. 💪 We should be doing the same with our workweek. So, what should we be asking ourselves on a Thursday? Here’s what I suggest: 1. What have I accomplished so far this week? Take a moment to recognize your progress. ✅ Whether you’ve knocked out some big projects or just ticked off smaller tasks, it all counts. We’re often so focused on what’s left that we forget to appreciate what we’ve already done. 🎉 2. What’s still on my to-do list? Be honest with yourself. Are there tasks you’ve been avoiding or pushing to the bottom of the list? 😅 Thursday is the perfect time to prioritize those remaining items and tackle them head-on before the week slips away. 🔥 3. What can I improve before the week ends? We’re not done yet! It’s never too late to make small adjustments—whether it’s managing your time better, improving communication, or staying more focused. A little tweak today can make Friday far more productive. 🎯 Even huge companies like Google and Microsoft don’t wait until the year’s end to change course—they’re constantly adjusting strategies based on what’s happening now. 📊 We can apply that same mindset to our own workweek. Now it’s your turn! What’s one thing you’ll focus on today to wrap up your week strong? 💥 Share your thoughts in the comments, and let’s finish this week on a high note! 👇🔥

Starting the week overwhelmed by everything you've got to do? It's easy to get dragged into the workload, After all, you know what needs to be done, right,...the email replies, the calls, the meetings, the issues of last week (and before), he (or she) who's shouting loudest for that report or an update. The list goes on. But...if you don't run your day your day will run you! Before you know it, it'll be tomorrow and you'll be starting the day in exactly the same way. You might not feel like you've got time to stop and plan your day, your week or even your priorities for today, but if you don't, you're letting everything around you control your time, your focus and your energy. And that's no way to start the week. ➡️You set your schedule. ➡️You are in control of your day. ➡️When you plan properly you often have more time than you realised. ➡️ Deadlines looming...check for flexibility on those. Maybe there's some breathing space to be gained there after all...

I've stumbled upon a game-changing habit recently—weekly planning. It's become my Friday ritual, and boy, has it boosted my #productivity and #personalgrowth! Here's the thing: I've decided to keep my rest days sacred. No work-related stuff on those days. Instead, Fridays are reserved exclusively for planning. It's like my designated time to hit the reset button and gear up for the week ahead. During these planning sessions, I follow a 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝟕-𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬: 1. 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭: Take a moment to reflect on the past week—celebrate wins (#success) and note areas for improvement. 2. 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬: Define clear goals for the upcoming week (#goals) based on your reflections. 3. 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬: Identify important tasks and prioritize them based on urgency and impact (#taskmanagement). 4. 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞: Block out time slots for tasks in your calendar to ensure they get done (#timemanagement). 5. 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬: Gather necessary materials or resources needed for the week ahead (#preparation). 6. 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬: Imagine yourself achieving your goals and visualize a successful week ahead (#visualization). 7. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞: Remain adaptable by leaving room for unexpected tasks or adjustments(#flexibility). This routine isn't just about jotting down tasks—it's a chance to fine-tune my approach and set clear goals. Plus, it's surprisingly therapeutic. Knowing I've got a plan in place helps me chill out over the weekend without any lingering work worries. I can't stress enough how much this simple practice has boosted my productivity and overall well-being. It's all about intentional growth and keeping things on track. So, if you're feeling a bit scattered or overwhelmed with your schedule, why not give weekly planning a shot? Find a cozy spot-on Friday (or any day that works for you) and take a moment to reflect and strategize. Trust me, it's worth the effort! Here's to more organized weeks and stress-free weekends. Let's make planning cool again! Have an amazing weekend!

Happy New Week Family 🌞 How are you and how was your weekend? Today, I’d like to discuss procrastination. Alex, a virtual assistant, was good at organizing tasks and helping clients but had trouble starting important tasks. Instead, Alex spent too much time on less important things, like checking emails, which caused stress and a build-up of work. To improve, Alex split big tasks into smaller steps, worked for short periods, and gave a reward after each task was done. By focusing on important work and creating a better workspace, Alex became more effective at helping clients. Beating procrastination helped Alex do better work, keep clients happy, and achieve more success as a virtual assistant. The lesson of the story is that beating procrastination by breaking tasks into smaller parts and focusing on the most important work can help reduce stress and get more work done. When you manage your time well and work in a good environment, you’ll do better and make clients happy. Think about your own habits and find small changes you can make, like Alex, to stop procrastinating and get more done. PS: Today is Monday, hope we all had a restful weekend. Let's remember to be more productive this week and avoid procrastinating 🙂 #virtualassistant# #HappyNewWeek# #Productiveweek# #Mondayvibes#

THIS is THE week I’m gonna …. There’s something about a fresh line in the sand. Monday mornings. Not only that, the 1st Monday of the month. The old version of you left behind in last week/month. The version of you that ❌ Lacked focus & got easily distracted ❌ Kept getting pulled off task by others ❌ Got stuck in procrastination ❌ Found themselves stuck in tedious tasks  ❌ Not quite getting to the big stuff That may have been you in the past. But that’s NOT how you’re going to show up THIS week.. At least that’s what you want to believe 🙏. But you’re uncomfortably aware of how many times you’ve been here before. And that little niggly voice at the back of your head. Already chiming in. Asking why this week’ll be any different. And it has a point. What is it about this week? That’ll make it THE week that you finally get on top of it all? Finally make a start on the big projects? If you want a different result. You gotta do things differently. Need a bit of help with that? Grab the free ‘Weekly Planning Blueprint’ guide. ✅ Discover the 5 planning mistakes busy bee business owners make that keep them stuck on a treadmill of tedious tasks ✅ Uncover the ONE thing you're skipping with your to-do list that guarantees rolling over tasks to tomorrow (again!). ✅ Find out the 4 key elements of time management as well as the Implementation Trifecta to turn it into action. Get it now… https://lnkd.in/e8UWXXCX

Mondays always set the tone for the rest of the week! I used to jump into the week headfirst, tackling tasks as they popped up. By midweek, I was overwhelmed, and on Wednesday or Thursday, I felt like I needed a drink to get the steam out. Who can relate? Then I changed one thing, I started taking a bit of time to plan my week at the very start. By laying out my tasks, meetings, and priorities, my productivity improved and I also became more inspired in my work. Event management can be very intense and can be overwhelming very quickly. Seeing the whole picture allowed me to spot connections and ideas I might have missed in the daily rush. Planning gave me the space to think creatively. It turned the hectic moments into a steady rhythm, and my work became more focused and meaningful. The start of the week is no longer about diving into chaos, it's about setting the tone for a prepared and inspiring week ahead. Who’s preparing their week before it starts? 👇🏽 #ProductivityTips, #EventManagement, #MondayMotivation

My week doesn't start on Monday. It starts on Sunday night. I used to go into every week clueless about what I had or didn't have to do. -it gave me anxiety -stressed me out -lived in chaos My calendar was keeping me busy with no purpose. I was running a busy-ness instead of a business. The worst part was it was taking time away from me being a: -dad -friend -husband The game changer was staying ahead of my week on Sundays. Now I time block 90 minutes for ideation time. This is where I work 'on' the business and not in it. During my ideation time, I devote 15 minutes to my weekly dashboard. This is when my week starts. I look ahead at my week and for each calendar event I ask myself: "Does my calendar reflect the goals I want to achieve?" If the answer is not an emphatic YES, I erase and replace it. This gives me clarity and direction going into the week. Now my Mondays are scared of me. Preparation creates separation.