How To Set Weekly Intentions (+ Weekly Intentions Examples)

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Being productive and intentional with our time is the #1 priority most of us have at the beginning of the week.

And so with this in mind, you bring out your planner to start writing all those goals you want to accomplish, the tasks you need to complete, and your to-do lists.

You start the week feeling like a superwoman, capable of accomplishing everything.

Except you end your week very differently. With those half-accomplished goals, the to-do list that never ended, and your confidence on the floor.

If you have ever related to this, let me tell you it’s not because there is nothing wrong with you.

You still are the superwoman you felt at the beginning of the week.

But everyone is different and what works for others might not work for you. So maybe the problem is you chose the wrong method to boost your productivity and organize your life.

And today I’m going to teach you the perfect alternative if you struggle with being productive and mindful.

This method is all about setting weekly intentions. Which will not only help to stay focused and motivated throughout the week. But also improve your mental health and give you a sense of purpose every day of your life.

By the end of this post, you will…

Learn what weekly intentions are and why it’s important to set them
Understand the difference between goals and intentions
Know how to set weekly intentions (with the help of some extra journal prompts and tips)

We will see a couple of intention setting examples to inspire you to write yours

Learn how to actually fulfill your weekly intentions

There is a lot to unpack, so grab a cup of coffee and let’s begin!

What are weekly intentions?

Setting weekly intentions is a simple and effective way to keep yourself focused and motivated throughout the week.

But how is this different from to-do lists?

Well as satisfying as it is to check off each item on your to-do list as you complete them, life is not always about the things you achieve or the crossed-off items.

Although being productive and getting things done is important, so is our mental health.

When setting intentions you are shifting your focus from the output to the intention, to how you want to feel.

Intentions are more than your to-do list like “doing laundry”, “paying the bills”, or “writing X email”… They have more to do with you as a person and your well-being.

They are more like plans that will keep you on track with living well each specific week.

An intention can be:

A tool to guide you through the week as you’re faced with decisions to make
A reminder of what you want to focus on (because we all know how hard it can be to stay focused
The act of identifying the type of energy you want to bring into each day of the week
A reminder to stay mindful

This method is incredibly helpful whenever you find it tricky to complete actions or to-do lists.

Why set weekly intentions?

Okay, I understand what the intentions are. But why not set a goal instead?

Because they are two different things, with different purposes and aims.

If you are still confused about the difference between the two, here are 7 exact distinctions:

You set goals to accomplish them in the future. Intentions are set to be in the present
Setting goals is about what you want to become. Intentions are about who you want to be
The actions you do toward your goals give you results in the future. Your actions toward your intentions give you results in the present.
Goals originate from the mind and need action. But positive affirmations come from your soul and represent what you desire most.
Goals are meant to give you what you already don’t have. Intentions are about living with what you already have.
It’s more difficult to fail with your intentions because they are related to what you can easily extract from your life.
Most of the time goals are materialistic. But intentions are self oriented.

Now, goals are important. They help us grow and get out of our comfort zone.

But how many times do you actually accomplish the goals you set for yourself?

The act of setting goals doesn’t guarantee that you will achieve them. There is a process and a strategy behind it- which includes identifying your action steps, resources, milestones, etc.

But to stay committed and focused on those goals you need the right mindset.

Without it, it’s easy to get distracted, to start too big, and promise more than you can accomplish.

But that’s where intentions come in. They are a reminder of what you are capable of and they help us stay focused and mindful.

Now, when it comes to setting intentions there is no right or wrong. Whether you want to write them on the weekends, or on Mondays- you can create intentions any day of the week!

But how do you set positive intentions?

How to set positive Weekly intentions

The most important thing when setting intentions is to first start with connecting with yourself and your feelings.

Since setting intentions focuses more on you as a person, rather than your achievements, take a moment to connect with your emotions.

What are you stressed about this week?

Is there something worrying you?

Where do you want your focus to be this week?

Because each week is different it’s important to really feel where you are at now.

Now when it comes to setting positive intentions- there are no rules. They can either be short and silly or long and serious.

Maybe it’s a mix of the two. But whatever you choose, focus on the idea of positive intentions, on what you want to welcome into your life, rather than what you don’t want.

So once you’ve connected with your emotions, here are 10 journal prompts to help you set your intentions weekly.

Journal prompts to set weekly intentions

What’s one thing you’d like to have done by the end of the week (no matter how small) that will make you feel proud of yourself?
What would you like to celebrate on Sunday and what needs to happen this week to be able to celebrate it?
What do you feel like you need the most for the week ahead, and how can you meet that need?
What do you need to believe about yourself to manifest your vision this week?
What word, image, feeling, or affirmation could guide you this week?
What feeling would you like to embody this week?
What would your future self (aka Sunday self) say to your current self (aka Monday self)?
Write down one good ritual/ habit you want to start working on this week
What things are you willing to let go of this week so you can live your best life?
What boundaries do you need to set with others and yourself to prioritize your intention this week?

Here are some other things to think about when setting your weekly intentions:

What kind of person do you want to be this week?
What attitude do you want to have towards other people?
What do you need to commit to live a meaningful life?
What do you need to focus on to achieve your goals?

Once you’ve set an intention, ask yourself why this intention is important. What bigger goal, value, or desire is this connected to? This helps connect the intention to a greater purpose and gives it a deeper meaning.

The ritual of setting intentions can be as easy or as elaborate as you want it to be. When first starting out I would highly recommend you simplify the ritual as much as possible (the 3-step process I just shared with you is a great place to start).

That way you are making sure you actually follow through with creating your intentions every week to create this habit.

Once you get the hang of it, you can start adding more activities to your ritual like reflection pages, a little meditation practice or even choosing affirmations linked to your intentions for the week.

But whatever stage you are in, remember to choose something that makes you feel comfortable, is attainable, and works for you.

Tips on how to set weekly intentions

Now that you know the how behind intentions, here are a couple of tips to make sure you set the best intentions for yourself.

1)Make sure it can evolve. Our mind loves mysteries and it’s interested and intrigued when facing something new.

But if you stick with the same intention week after week, your mind will stop responding to it and will easily forget it. The best way to avoid this is by writing intentions that can evolve and be adjusted.

For example if one week you write “ I intend to welcome peace and calmness in my life” next week you could choose as your intention: “I enjoy the peace I create within myself”.

But, remember not to drastically change your intentions or goals from week to week.

The aim is to polish and enhance this intention. Not to go jumping from one focus to another before making any real change.

2) Concentrate on the short term. It’s important to keep the big picture in mind whenever setting goals and intentions. But make sure you are dividing this long-term vision into smaller periods of time.

Even though it feels exciting to start big with every intention that we set, it’s also very easy to become overwhelmed by it. Causing us to quit faster.

What we are doing by setting short-term intentions is consistently advancing toward our end goal in the most focused way possible.

3) Don’t set too many intentions. You know how when we first set a goal we tend to start too big too early. Well, chances are you will probably do the same when setting intentions.

So before you do, don’t. Especially if you have never set intentions before. Less is more. So rather than setting an infinite list of intentions you are not even going to remember, set 3-5.

These should represent your top priorities and will make it easier for you to actually focus on them and be mindful all throughout the week.

Weekly Intention Examples

Below are a few weekly intention examples to inspire and help you set your own!

This week I will/intend to…

Stay focused on my to-do list
Be mindful
Stick to my intuition and let it guide me
Be intentional and organized with my work
Listen to my body and mind, and let it rest whenever it needs it
Prioritize and take care of myself
Stay open to new opportunities/changes/possibilities.
Protect my inner peace
Be gentle with myself
Enjoy the little things throughout my day
Respond instead of reacting to things (especially the ones that make me upset)

How to fulfill your Weekly intentions throughout the week

To end this article I want to leave you with some key action tips to help you stay committed and fulfill your intentions.

It’s normal to get distracted with your intentions and main priorities. So it will take an intentional and conscious effort to remind yourself of your aims.

Here are a few tips to help you do this:

If you keep a planner or notebook at your desk, write your intention there so you’ll be reminded of it.
Write your intention on a sticky note and stick it to your computer screen or fridge.
Set a reminder alarm on your phone with your intention as the alarm name. You could schedule this alarm at times during the day when you most lose focus.
Meditate on the intention before you start your day. You can do this for 5 minutes a day and repeat the intention in your head as you sit in stillness and concentrate on your breath.
Create/connect an affirmation to each intention. That way you can repeat it to yourself whenever you lose your focus.
At the end of the day, reflect on whether you stayed committed to your intention or not. If not, write down a few ways you could improve tomorrow.

Final thoughts on how to set weekly intentions

Setting intentions is a great alternative to goal setting if you struggle with completing your to-do list or with goal setting.

Aside from its many benefits- like reminding ourselves of what is important- it helps us focus on ourselves because setting intentions is about you.

Not about the material things or what you want to accomplish. But about how you want to feel and who you want to be.

If you want to create your own intentions rituals, here is the beginner-friendly routine we talked about throughout the post:

Find a quiet place you can reflect for a couple of minutes. Breathe deeply a couple of times to clear your mind and relax your body.
Once you feel calm take a couple of minutes to ask yourself how are you feeling that week. Don’t take the first answer that comes to your mind and give yourself a moment to truly connect with your emotions.
Next, ask yourself your priorities this week. What you want to focus on, who do you want to become, what you want to be mindful of, the things you need to work on, etc.

You can use the journal prompts I shared with you earlier to start your practice!

Based on your answer from the previous step, write your intentions for the week. You can make these intentions short and silly, long and serious. Or a mixture of both.

Remember to make your intentions positive, make sure they can evolve week after week, and that you focus on the short term.

And finally don’t set too many intentions. Focus on just a couple every week so that you can actually fulfill them and make real changes in your life.

If you want to continue your self improvement journey, here are the articles mentioned throughout the post:

Thank you so much for investing your time in this article. I hope the tips and tools in it will help you set your weekly intentions so that you can have the best week ever aligned with your values and true self.

Now I´d love to hear about you! What is one intention you plan on setting this week? Personally one of my weekly intentions is to be more mindful and present in my day to day.

What about you? I´d love to read you in the comments!

About the author– Hi, I’m Sofia! I’m a book lover, an interior design enthusiast and I’m the creator of Sofia Success, the perfect platform for young women looking to become their best self and build their dream reality where we talk about personal development, entrepreneurship, spirituality, emotions, finances, and so much more!