You have all heard this phrase a lot, I’m sure. If you fail to plan you plan to fail. What does it mean though? Well, for me it means if don’t spend some time thinking about my business and making decisions on key aspects of it I will indeed fail. I like to make a list, it’s a running list of tasks that need to be completed. As things come up that I need to do I add it to the list. The list doesn’t get emptied (oh, if only there were that few things to do!) but I re-write it from time to time as it gets big and messy with lots of ticks and crossing out when I complete things or they change to something else. For example, I have an idea and I add it to the list, but the next day I might re-think the idea and it changes a bit, so the list has to be altered, so it is a very active list for sure!
Each day I add more things to the list and each night I think for a while and add anything to the list that I need to do the next day. I do prioritise the list. This usually involves me putting big stars alongside important items or ‘must do tomorrow’ items – another way it becomes messy!
I love my list, I love the big messy nature of it. It is always written, never typed. It sits on my desk in front of me so I can always check it to see what I have not completed yet. And it stares at me as if saying ‘look at me, you have things to do – get off Facebook’!!!
How do you plan? Do you have a list? Is it an active list that’s big and messy like mine or is it neat and tidy, or maybe your ‘to do’ things aren’t on the same list, maybe you have several. However you tackle planning make sure you do it and then give the tasks a go, it’s simply the best way to move forward.
Enjoy the journey!