Pre-planning isn't for Pus--ansies

Pre-planning isn’t for Pus---ansies.

I identify myself as more of a spontaneous soul and that's something I'm really proud of! I can go with the flow, I love impromptu, best night of my life stories. It's mysterious and I have it down to an art; it's almost majestic. Alluring and captivating.

The idea of planning makes me cringe.... a little... ok, a lot. So the idea of PRE-planning was almost unbearable. Why would I pre-plan the plan. Isn't there just the plan and nothing ever goes to plan anyways?!

I hated pre-planning my day. As free-flowing as I am, I also like to be efficient. ok, 'like' isn't a strong enough word. I built my life around efficiency; I don't like wasting extra time doing things. It's why I can get ready, legit, in 15 mins (shower and all). Many of my mentors and successful people I have studied all talk about how they pre-plan.... everything. Some of them down to the minute. I thought, that seems a bit much but if they're making millions and I'm not, who am I to judge. So I thought I'd give it a try.

At first I was totally freaked out! I felt like now I had even less time and I wouldn't be able to do any of the things I wanted to. My day was over before it even started. I was having a small panic attack. How am I going to fit in all the things I want to, the things I love, the people, Facebook for Pete's sake!? There wasn't time to do anything... I couldn't breath! I felt trapped, confined by time. So... I didn't do it.

After awhile, once this whole pre-planning idea started to sink in, I realized how inefficient I was actually being. How much time and energy I was wasting by thinking about what I needed to think about. I probably spent at least thirty minutes to an hour each day, decided, recalling, and trying to figure out what I was doing next. What I needed to be doing in the moment. If I had 'free' time, I felt I should be doing something important. Something productive for my business. Yet I spent so much time figuring out what would be an effective use of this new “found” time that I soon lost it. Let’s say I had 20 mins because a meeting ended early – I would spend 10 min deciding what to work on and another 5 mins getting ready to work on it and so by the time I actually got to work on it I had 5 mins and nothing got accomplished.

By pre-planning my day... and I'm still a work in progress I promise you that. I have been way more productive and more importantly to me, less stressed. I don't waste time thinking about the next project or what I should be doing, I simple look at my plan and move on. In addition, for when life does give me "free" time (I use that in quotations because time is never free, it's unoccupied. see my other blog 'we should be having more sex') I have things to fill it quickly. I ease through my day going from one item to the next. If something unexpected comes up, I know I have planned time to handle 'fires' and will address it then.

I've also become more productive by focusing on one task at a time. I realized that I cannot multitask, in fact, none of us can efficiently. That's too be discussed at a later date...

There is a kicker to this whole pre-planning thing...

Here’s the deal, you have to plan time to pre-plan! Now again, I am not a planner. As a matter of fact, we take a company trip every year to the same destination. The same hotel and time of year for the most part. You would think that I would be well seasoned at planning this trip. But I’ve always let someone else handle the details. I really don’t give it too much thought and it all goes well... Delegation... another topic for another day...

The truth is, it doesn't have to take more then 15 minutes to get it done. Hell, maybe you start by just planning the first half of your day. and pre-plan the second half once that's accomplished. There is no right way to do it. The right way is what works for you.

Fair warning... it isn't for those who give up on their dreams.

Cheers to making the most out of everyday and no more wasted time!

xoxo-

Money Duchess