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Planning avoids stressing

Have you ever heard the famous 7Ps: “Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance”?

or the saying by Benjamin Franklin which goes: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”?

Of course, you have.

There are just so many quotes from various successful people all highlighting the importance of planning. Proper planning is fundamental to success, yet most people do not realize how effective proper planning can be.

Brian Tracy, an author and motivational speaker said, “Every minute you spend in planning saves 10 minutes in execution; this gives you a 1,000 percent return on energy!”.

Planning your day, week, and/or month in advance will allow you to take the jumble of work from that course of time and get it all sorted out, giving you a clear path to what needs to be done.

Essentially, it helps you stay on top of everything you need to do during those times. However, it also increases your work efficiency, reduces stress and clutter, saves time and money, and improves your overall quality of life.

So how does one start properly planning their time?

Entrepreneur, author, and motivational speaker, Jim Rohn once said: “Never begin the day until it is finished on paper.”

Interpreted, he recommends that before the start of each day, you should have a plan written down about what you’re going to get done throughout the day. You can do this by taking some time out, either before your week starts or at the start of your day each morning, to plan what you need to get done during that time.

You should also plan how you’re going to complete each of those tasks by breaking down the tasks you need to get done into small, actionable tasks. This is so that you are able to establish a proper procedure to complete the tasks and you won’t have to stress about doing everything all at once.

Now… after you’ve successfully planned your time, does it all go according to plan?

Of course, it doesn’t. Anything can pop up during the course of the week that may interfere with the plan. However, if you’ve got a plan, to begin with, you can always amend that plan as you go. You will still be working toward a plan; you’re only making adjustments as you go through.

Regardless, getting into the habit of planning will not only increase your work efficiency, but you will find that it will also reduce your stress levels immensely.

So give it a try.

As the African Proverb goes, “For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”