Strategies for Planning (Part 2)

4. Think even further into the future. To have fun ad unleash your creativity, set goals as far in the future as you can. The specific length of time doesn’t matter. For some people, long-range planning might mean 10, 20, or even 50 years from now. For others imagining three years feel right. Do whatever works for you.

Once you’ve stated your longest-range goals, work backward until you can define a next step to take. Suppose your 30-year goal is to retire and maintain your present standard of living. Ask yourself: “In order to do that, what financial goals do I need to achieve in 20 years? In 10 years? In one year? In one month? In one week?” Put the answers to these questions in writing.

5. Schedule fixed blocks of time first. When planning your week, start with class time and work time. These time periods are usually determined in advance. Other activities must be scheduled around them. Then schedule essential daily activities such as sleeping and eating. In addition, schedule some time each week for actions that lead directly to one of your written goals.

6. Set clear starting and stopping times. Tasks often expand to fill the time we allot for them “might become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Try scheduling a certain amount of time for a reading assignment – set a timer, and stick to it. Students often find that they can decrease study time by forcing themselves to read faster. This can usually be done without sacrificing comprehension.

The same principle can apply to other tasks. Some people find they can get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning and still feel alert throughout the day. Plan 45 minutes for a trip to the grocery store instead of one hour. Over the course of a year, those extra minutes can add up to hours.

Feeling rushed or sacrificing quality is not the goal here. The point is to push ourselves a little and discover what our time requirements really are.

7. Schedule for flexibility and fun. Recognize that unexpected things will happen and allow for them. Leave some holes in your schedule. Build in blocks of unplanned time. Consider setting aside time each week marked “flex time” or “open time.” Use these hours for emergencies, spontaneous activities, catching up, or seizing new opportunities.

Include time for errands. The time we spend buying toothpaste, paying bills, and doing laundry is easy to overlook. These little errands can destroy a tight schedule and make is feel rushed and harried all week, plan for them and remember to allow for travel time between locations.

Also make room for fun. Fun is important. Brains that are constantly stimulated by new ideas and new challenges need time off to digest them. Take time to aimlessly through the library, stroll with no destination, ride a bike, or do other things you enjoy. It’s important to “waste” time once in a while. To maintain flexibility and fun, be realistic. Don’t set yourself up for failure by telling yourself you can do a four-hour job in two hours. These are only 168 hours in a week. If you schedule 169 hours you’re sunk.

8. Involve other when appropriate. Sometimes the activities we schedule depend on gaining information, assistance, or direct participation from other people. If we neglect to inform them of our plans or forget to ask for their cooperation at the outset – surprise! Our schedules can crash.

Statements such as these often follow the breakdown: “I just assumed you were going to pick up the kids from school on Tuesday.” “I’m working overtime this week and hoped that you’d take over the cooking for a while,”

When you schedule a task that depends on another person’s involvement, let that person know – the sooner, the better.