Tips for Working 7 Days a Week

While working seven days a week can affect your mental health and long-term productivity, there are several ways to manage this type of work schedule. Understanding the various ways to do this can help you avoid burnout and may grant you greater job satisfaction.

In this article, we explain the benefits of managing your work schedule and list several tips to help you conquer working seven days a week.

Related: 20 Examples of Alternative Work Schedules

Why is it important to manage a seven-day workweek?

Providing structure to your workweek can help you feel like you have your life together. Not only that, but it can also provide you with several benefits when it comes to your personal and professional life. Here are some reasons why it's beneficial to properly manage a seven-day workweek:

Improved mental health

Establishing a routine and creating a schedule can help alleviate stress when it comes to working. This allows you to properly prepare for what you have coming up during the week. Reducing your stress can help you maintain your sanity, give you greater peace of mind and provide you with improved mental clarity overall.

Increased productivity

Making a schedule for your seven-day workweek can help you prioritize your tasks and makes it easier to stay focused throughout the day. Staying focused then leads to greater productivity and therefore, a higher output of work.

Greater work-life balance

While working seven days a week can make you feel overworked, properly balancing your schedule can help you establish a greater work-life balance. Essentially, a schedule allows you to balance your job with family time, leisure activities or daily obligations. This can improve your mood and lead to greater job satisfaction.

Related: Working Full-Time Hours: How To Find a Work-Life Balance

Tips for working seven days a week

While it may seem hard to manage a seven-day workweek without your health taking a toll, there are several ways to help you stay on top of this workload. With the right plan in place, you're better prepared to find success during this type of workweek. Use the following categories and tips to help you manage working seven days a week:

Meals

When you have a seven-day workweek, it leaves little time for you to prepare and cook food. It may also result in unhealthy decisions regarding your meal choices. Here are some helpful tips to ensure your proper nutrition during a full work schedule:

Prepare meals in advance

Working a full schedule means you have less time to spend cooking your next meal. To ensure you have a meal ready to go, spend time preparing your food in advance. Cook your meals in batches and store them in the freezer for you to consume at a later date. You can also store your leftovers in the fridge or freezer to enjoy on another day of the week when work piles up.

Stay hydrated

Keep a glass of water nearby to stay hydrated throughout the workday. Not only does it help you stay hydrated, but it also ensures proper brain function and performance. Healthy hydration can also improve your focus and make you feel both refreshed and energized as the workday progresses. Whether you chug your water or take sips throughout the day, make sure you're drinking plenty of water to maintain a healthy level of hydration.

Eat healthy snacks

Though junk food may seem like a quick and easy option when hunger strikes, nutritious snacks can help fuel your body while keeping it nourished. Make sure you have healthy options such as nuts or other protein-rich options available. These can help you feel full for a longer period of time.

Keep snacks nearby

Keep snacks nearby your workstation to provide you with a much-needed energy boost. Instead of having to pause your work when you get hungry, a nearby snack allows you to continue through the workday until your lunch hour or the end of your shift.

Limit your caffeine intake

While caffeine may help you stay alert, it only does so for a short period of time. Too much caffeine can cause a caffeine high and a subsequent caffeine crash. It can also cause adverse side effects such as jitters or gastrointestinal problems. While you don't have to rid caffeine from your diet altogether, make sure you're not overdoing it. Limiting your caffeine intake can help you an unnecessary burnout overall.

Sleep

Making changes to your sleeping habits can improve your productivity and make it easier to manage a full week of work. Here are some helpful tips for working seven days a week as they relate to your sleep schedule:

Avoid working from your bed

While working from your bed may seem like a comfortable option, it's best to separate your work and sleep areas. Working from your bed can also cause you to fall asleep during your shift, therefore, lowering your productivity.

If you work from home, establish a separate workspace such as an office where you can perform your job duties each day. Doing this can also train your brain to separate each of these areas and their intended uses.

Avoid caffeinated beverages before bed

While caffeine can help you stay energized, it can also make it harder to fall asleep when you need to. To ensure a restful slumber, avoid drinking coffee or tea at night. It's especially important to avoid caffeine right before bed.

Get enough sleep

According to experts, adults should aim for an average of eight hours every night. Doing so can help you stay focused, energized and productive throughout the workday. All of these lead to greater work performance overall.

Establish a sleep schedule to help train your body

Aim to wake up and go to the bed at the same time every day. You can even stick to this routine over the weekend to help make it a habit. If you want to nap, don't sleep for more than 20 minutes as it could affect your sleep schedule.

Work

Apart from making adjustments to your personal life, you can also alter your workday to better balance a busy workweek. Use these work-related tips to help you manage a seven-day workweek:

Take short breaks

Throughout your workday, make an effort to step away from your desk or workspace and take a short break. Consider going for a walk or meeting friends for a quick lunch. Doing so can help increase your productivity when you return to work. It can also help you feel recharged while providing you with a renewed mindset.

It's especially helpful to step away from your work when you're feeling unmotivated. When you return to your workspace, you're more able to come up with new ideas and perspectives you may not have previously considered.

Prioritize your tasks

Prioritize your most important tasks and devote the majority of your workday toward completing them. You can also consider planning out your workday the night before so you know what you need to get done first. Essentially, this helps you better prepare for the next day. It allows you to start your workday in the right mindset.

Align your work schedule with your peak hours

If possible, spend the majority of your workday centered on your most productive hours. For example, if you're an early riser, start your shift early in the morning and focus on your most important tasks during this time. If you're a night owl, work into the evening and night. Aligning your work schedule to your peak hours can help increase your productivity, work output and overall quality of work.

Set goals

As you make it through your seven-day workweek, set measurable and attainable goals you can achieve. Having something to strive toward can help you stay focused and increase your productivity in the process.

You can create long-term goals or set short-term goals such as finishing a particular assignment on a certain day in your upcoming week. If it helps, reward yourself for completing a goal. For example, if you achieve a goal with time to spare, reward yourself with a short break.

Follow a schedule

Create and stick to a schedule to help you manage your responsibilities. Make a list of the things you need to get done in your personal and professional life. Then, create time allotments for each activity. For example, you can schedule a specific period of time for your most important work assignments, your meals, workouts, lunchtime and grocery shopping.

Writing your schedule down can help you stay on track and ensure you stay focused during target hours. Here's an example of a schedule you can use and adjust to fit your own needs and responsibilities:

• 6-6:15 a.m.: Wake up for the day

• 6:15-7:15 a.m.: Exercise

• 7:15-7:45 a.m.: Shower and get ready

• 7:45-8 a.m.: Drive to work

• 8-11 a.m.: Work

• 11 a.m-12 p.m.: Lunch

• 12-6 p.m.: Work

• 6-7 p.m.: Grocery shop

• 7-8 p.m.: Cook and eat dinner

• 8-9 p.m.: Read or watch TV

• 9-9:30 p.m.: Prepare for the next day

• 9:30-10 p.m.: Get ready for bed

• 10 p.m.: Bedtime

Related: How To Make a Daily Work Schedule

Leisure time

While working seven days a week takes up a lot of your time, you still have opportunities to establish a greater work-life balance. Here are some tips to help you manage a seven-day workweek with plenty of time for leisurely activities:

Exercise regularly

Maintain an exercise routine throughout your workweek — especially if you're already accustomed to one. Fill your free time with your preferred form of exercise to stay in shape and relieve work-related stress. Whether you go on a bike ride, take a hike, join a dance class or go for a long walk, exercising regularly can positively impact both your mental and physical health. It can also help you feel more energized and ready to take on your work-related responsibilities.

Schedule downtime

Find time to unwind throughout your workweek. Having time to relax at the end of a long day can help relieve stress and improve your mental health. Some ways you can unwind include taking a warm bath or relaxing with a good book or music.

Even if you don't have as much time to spare when working seven days a week, spend at least 30 minutes doing something you enjoy, whether it's each day, every week or as time permits. Scheduling downtime can help you feel like you still have some sense of control over your life and can help you maintain your sanity during a hectic week.

Make time for fun

While it's important to complete your job-related duties, it's also important to find enjoyment in life. Even with a seven-day workweek, you still have opportunities to find some sort of work-life balance. Find time in your schedule for a fun activity or an outing with friends.

For example, you can visit a museum, go to an amusement park or have dinner with your family and friends. Breaking up your routine at least once or twice each week can improve your morale, mental health, work performance and your overall happiness with your job.