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How To Design a Productive Week Where You Get Everything Done

Hailey Dale
How To Design a Productive Week Where You Get Everything Done

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I’m Hailey – content strategist and founder here at Your Content Empire where we help you create more profitable, purposeful and productive content — and hopefully enjoy yourself more while doing it too. Learn more about me here >>

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How To Design a Productive Week Where You Get Everything Done

At the height of my planner obsession (2015), I bought 13 different planners in search of my “perfect planning solution” and “productive week creator”. That mythical instrument that would turn me into a to-do list checking machine and magically create more time out of thin air.

And while I didn’t find it between any of those beautiful covers, I did discover that I need something that can manage my whole day and not just my business, or just my work projects or just my personal life – it needs to be all-encompassing. I need a high-level view of everything!

And that's why I created the Weekly Planning Kit – a tool that makes any planner (or no planner) work for me. It's the perfect insert to your existing planner – most of which are missing this hybrid weekly dashboard and project planner.

Prefer to watch this blog post instead? Click on the video below!

You can grab that template for yourself here:

How To Design a Productive Week Where You Get Everything Done

My Approach to Planning a Productive Week

I’ve written about my top-down (and bottom-to-top) approach to productivity before, but I really don’t think productivity is the end goal for any of us. 

Who wants to be productive if it’s on the wrong things? That’s why productivity and goal setting are inextricably tied together. 

For me it works best if I set my intentions at the annual level, back those intentions up with goals at the quarterly level, make those goals into projects at the monthly level and turn those goals into actions at the weekly and quarterly level. 

So that’s what I want out of a weekly planning dashboard: a way to give my goals the project plan treatment and turn them into bite-sized actions so I can have the most productive week possible!

Create Your Productive Week Planning Kit

Step 1: Set your 4 top intentions for the week

What are the goals (or their subprojects) that you’d love to get done this week? 

The reason we limit ourselves to no more than four is that we want to make sure you end the week with these things done instead of ending the week with 5% progress of 10 different things (the start less, finish more approach)!

Just remember, if there are a couple of things you need to do on another product because of external deadlines, there’s an “other” section in the planner where you can put those. 

Step 2: Give each of these the “project plan” treatment

For each of these priorities, we want to come up with up to 6 action steps that you’ll focus on taking this week to move that project to completion. 

My rule of thumb is to make sure that none of these action steps take longer than 2 hours—otherwise, you might need to break the product down even more. 

Repeat the process until all of your priorities have been broken down. 

Tip for Service-Based Business Owners: When I’m planning, I like to have 3 priorities be dedicated to internal projects and then the fourth one for client projects I need to work on that week so I’m not overscheduling myself and leaving no room to take care of my clients. 

Step 3: Give your work blocks a home on your calendar

In order to make sure you actually “do” the work, we want to make sure to assign them to a particular day of the week. 

Option 1: Use the bottom section to allocate specific tasks to specific days

Option 2: Break out the highlighter (or using the apple pencil if you’re doing this digitally), colour-code each day and then assign tasks using the specific day’s colour. 

Option 3: Go with the theme day approach. I have one day a week for client work, so I know that all the work blocks within that priority will happen on that day. I have a day for marketing/content, so if I have any projects in that category, I know easily where to put those work blocks. 

Make Your To-Do List Less Daunting and Practically Guarantee a Productive Week

You’ve got the list for your business tasks, the one for your client needs, and the other for what needs to get done around the house. But what if it was all put together into one seamless planning kit?

With the Weekly Planning Kit, you’ll be able to amplify your current planner, or live without a planner altogether, by:

  • Setting your top 4 intentions for the week
  • Giving each intention the “project plan” treatment
  • Giving your work blocks a home on your calendar

This is the BEST hybrid of weekly dashboards and project planners.

Start giving your weekly intentions the project treatment to actually get them done by downloading the weekly planning kit. 

How To Design a Productive Week Where You Get Everything Done

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How To Design a Productive Week Where You Get Everything Done
Hailey Dale
How To Design a Productive Week Where You Get Everything Done
How To Design a Productive Week Where You Get Everything Done
How To Design a Productive Week Where You Get Everything Done
How To Design a Productive Week Where You Get Everything Done
The Content Post-It Method: 30 Days of Content With This Simple Daily Challenge
The Complete Content Audit Action Plan
The ChatGPT Survey System
Let’s talk about something most content creators struggle with: making offers and tracking progress. We either feel salesy when we promote our services, or we’re so focused on the big wins that we miss all the small victories adding up.

The truth? Every single post is building your authority. Every comment shows engagement. Every DM opens a door to opportunity. But if you’re not tracking these wins, you’re missing the evidence of your growth!

Here’s how:

✅ That thoughtful comment could lead to your next client
✅ The DM asking for advice might turn into a referral
✅ Your consistent posting is secretly building trust
✅ Each piece of content shapes your expert status

This is day 5️⃣ of the 5-Day Content Post-It Challenge where we’re turning your expertise into engaging content AND building the confidence to make aligned offers! No more downplaying your achievements. No more hiding your services. Just 5 days of creating content that showcases your value and tracks your progress.

✨✨✨✨✨

Want the one-pager template that walks you through crafting your sales post? Comment “DAY 5” below and I’ll send you the link to join the challenge officially!
Most people give up on content creation too soon. 

They post a few times, don’t see immediate results, and assume it’s not working... completely missing the power of momentum and consistency.

But here’s what actually happens: Every piece of content you create is like a stepping stone toward your next sale. It’s not about that ONE viral post or that ONE perfect offer. It’s about consistently showing up and building trust over time.

The most successful course creators and coaches understand this. Look at any thriving online business and you’ll find someone who’s been steadily sharing valuable content for months or years. They didn’t just “get lucky” – they understood the power of the tipping point.

Think about your own buying decisions:
👉 You see someone’s content repeatedly
👉 You start recognizing their expertise
👉 You begin trusting their perspective
👉 Eventually, you’re ready to buy

This is day 4️⃣ of the 5-Day Content Post-It Challenge where we’re embracing the power of social proof and understanding that success isn’t about perfection – it’s about consistency! No more wondering “how many posts until I make a sale.” No more giving up too soon. Just 5 days of building unstoppable momentum with your content.

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Want the one-pager template that guides you through creating your social proof post? Comment “DAY 4” below and I’ll send you the link to join the challenge officially!
Let’s get real for sec: Most people are scared to share their real opinions online. They water down their message trying to please everyone... and end up connecting with no one.

But here’s what the data actually shows: In 2025, it takes 20-50 touchpoints before a cold lead becomes a customer (emailtooltester.com). That means playing it safe isn’t just holding you back – it’s actively slowing down your sales cycle!

Every post that reflects your true perspective is a powerful touchpoint. Every email that challenges industry norms builds trust. Every story that shares your unique take moves someone closer to becoming a client.

According to emailtooltester:

Inactive customers need just 1-3 touchpoints to re-engage
Warm leads need 5-12 touchpoints to convert
Cold leads need 20-50 touchpoints before they buy

This is day 3️⃣ of the 5-Day Content Post-It Challenge where we’re ditching the cookie-cutter content and finally sharing the hot takes that will make you stand out! No more echoing what everyone else is saying. No more hiding your true opinions. Just 5 days of creating content that actually reflects who you are and what you believe.

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Want the one-pager template that guides you through creating your hot take post? Comment “DAY 3” below and I’ll send you the link to join the challenge officially!
If you’ve been holding back on sharing your expertise because someone told you “educational content doesn’t work anymore,” it’s time to think again!

Your knowledge and experience are exactly what your ideal clients need - but HOW you share it makes all the difference.

Today we’re flipping the script on traditional educational content. Instead of another “how-to” post that gets lost in the noise, we’re sharing your unique journey through “How I” stories that showcase both your expertise AND your humanity.

The magic happens when you stop trying to write the perfect tutorial and start sharing the real lessons you’ve learned along the way. Those messy middle moments? The unexpected breakthroughs? That’s where the true connection happens.

Remember yesterday when we talked about content exposure therapy? Well, today we’re building on that momentum. Each time you share your experience openly, you’re not just creating content - you’re becoming someone who shows up consistently, someone who leads with value, someone your audience trusts to guide them.

This is day 2️⃣ of the 5-Day Content Post-It Challenge, and we’re transforming from overthinking experts into confident content creators! Today’s powerful “How I” format helps you share your expertise through story, creating content that resonates, educates, AND builds genuine connections.

Watch what happens when you commit to this journey - 5 days becomes 10, becomes 30, and suddenly you’re the expert who shows up consistently, whose content makes an impact, whose audience eagerly awaits their next insight.

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Want the one-pager template that walks you through crafting your educational story post (plus my favorite Canva templates to make it look amazing)? Comment “DAY 2” below and I’ll send you everything you need to keep building that momentum!
If you’re waiting for the “perfect” moment to start posting consistently, you’re letting golden opportunities slip away every single day. 

>>>>> Your ideal clients are out there RIGHT NOW looking for solutions you already have!

Everyone feels nervous about hitting publish at first. 

That voice in your head questioning if your content is “good enough” or if anyone will care? Totally normal. 

But here’s what most people don’t realize - posting content is like exposure therapy. Each time you push through that resistance and hit publish, you’re not just creating content - you’re building confidence, creating touchpoints with your audience, and developing a visibility muscle that will serve your business for years to come.

This is day 1️⃣ of the 5-Day Content Post-It Challenge where we’re getting out of our head and FINALLY showing up consistently online! No more overthinking, no more perfectionism, no more “I’ll post it tomorrow.” Just 5 days of taking action and watching your confidence grow with every single post. Plus, you’ll be starting with a proven hand-raiser post format that’s designed to help you connect directly with your ideal clients!

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Want the one-pager template that guides you through creating your first hand-raiser post? Comment “DAY 1” below and I’ll send you the link to join the challenge officially!
How To Design a Productive Week Where You Get Everything Done
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