Doesn’t it have a nice ring to it when you proudly say that you plan everything? It’s strangely satisfying.
I too am part of that brigand. Can’t resist buying a new planner every year, new set of sticky notes, coloured pens for colour-coded schedules. I’m quite old school, so still need these tools.
Have to admit have tried the various apps but couldn’t stick with them long enough to know if they work (at least for me).
Once you plan, suddenly it all feels possible. It gives a feeling to having things under control.
Then why is it life feels so chaotic? How am I getting things done even when I’m not following the planned schedule?
I guess my plan and me have different plans.
When Planning Becomes Productive Procrastination
I’m not saying planning is useless. It’s much needed. It helps to organise your thoughts, give a clear direction to move in, decide what to prioritise, and of course, helps with time management.
Well, most of the time planning feels like preparation. But after some time it stops being preparation and instead becomes ‘productive procrastination’.
Like the time you spend on finding the perfect workout instead of exercising. Or those elaborate study schedules you spent hours making when you should’ve instead done some actual studying. Or creating, tweaking, fine tuning your business plan instead of just taking that first step.
In short, you thought you were preparing but instead you were procrastinating taking that first step.
It felt productive and gave a sense of working towards the goal. But in reality, nothing changed.
Planning can make you feel like you’re taking action while allowing you to avoid the action that actually matters.
The plans describe what you want to do but your actions, or your habits, reveal what you actually are doing.
I know the amount of time I spent last year creating the content calendar, picking the topics, selecting the niche, trying to find the right titles. It was intense work.
Now in retrospect I know it was a colossal waste of time. I neither wrote about most of them (reasons are for another time) nor did I stick with the schedule.
Identity Is Built in Repetition
More than the planning, what’s needed is practicing. Yes, it’s the habit of doing something in repeat that will get the results you’re planning for.
Like reading for 15 minutes will make you a reader. Studying regularly will get you better grades. Experimenting with new ideas will get you that right business idea you want to work on. Practising a skill daily, even if for a few minutes, will ensure you master it.
When you keep postponing the task, not admitting the fears to yourself, you create an identity of someone who makes plans but doesn’t follow through. A procrastinator in the making.
Your planning begins to give you the emotional satisfaction that should’ve been experienced through the action of actually doing.
It may not appear like that when seen in isolation but your actions gradually build that image.
Identity gets built through ordinary actions which occur in repetition.
And this is where planning becomes a bigger issue than productivity. It starts shaping how you see yourself.
When life got hectic a couple of years back, my reading took a hit. And that was unacceptable. That’s when I decided to read a few pages whenever I got a few minutes – after lunch or dinner or before going to bed.
Though not my preferred style of reading, I persisted and the result is I’m back in the game. And much happier.
Habits Help You Reach Your Goal
We plan because planning gives us control over the outcome. Whereas actions force us to confront uncertainty.
So you spend hours planning because it feels safe. You don’t need to sweat to make a workout plan. Nor do you need to burn the midnight oil to complete your revision. Your business plan won’t expose you to the rejection.
Planning helps you to experience the possibility of success without having to risk the possibility of failure.
Don’t stop at the first obstacle with your plans. Walk around it. Keep your eyes on the final objective.
It’s not your perfect routine which will get you the results but your insistence on continuing even when the plans change.
You want to finish the portions you planned for today? Stop looking at the time slots and focus on what to do next.
You want to get fitter, start off with simple, easy-to-follow exercise routine at a convenient time instead of paying a fortune for a gym membership.
You’ve a business plan in mind. Make the first pitch instead of waiting for the right moment/client/opportunity.
Planning helps in charting the course you want to take. But it’s your habits which build the person who reaches the goal.
So plan the destination, build the habit to support it, and when life changes the route, keep moving.
