The weekly update pattern

The weekly update is the single highest-return habit in remote work. Done properly it replaces a recurring call, and it builds a written record that later becomes evidence of how you work.

Five sections, in this order

1. 1Done this week — outcomes, not activity. 'Weekly report automated' beats 'worked on reporting'.
2. 2In progress — with a realistic finish date, not a hopeful one.
3. 3Blocked / needs you — the only section that asks the client for something. Keep it short and specific.
4. 4Next week — what you will do, so they can redirect you cheaply.
5. 5Risks and notes — anything you can see coming, including capacity.

Done: pipeline report automated, now runs Mondays 07:00. Two duplicate accounts merged (logged).
In progress: onboarding checklist, done Wed.
Needs you: approve the new stage names by Tue or I keep the old ones.
Next week: draft the handover doc; start the client FAQ.
Risks: I am at reduced capacity Thu–Fri (public holiday); nothing is due those days.

Three rules

• Same day, same time, every week — predictability is most of the value.
• Send it even when the week was bad. A missing update reads worse than a difficult one.
• Never let 'needs you' be a surprise. If it appeared mid-week, it should have been raised mid-week.

Write outcomes, not effort. A client cannot evaluate effort, so listing it invites exactly the micromanagement you are trying to avoid.