1️⃣ First and most simply, when you make a plan, things are so much more likely to get done. Winging it every day, without a plan or strategy, can paralyze you and stop you from getting started or taking action in the first place.
2️⃣ Having all of your to-do’s just sitting inside your head is very overwhelming and very distracting. Your brain 🧠 was not meant to constantly be running through your to-do list, next steps and trying to remember a ton of stuff moment to moment. Writing down a plan frees up your brain space to focus on the task at hand, so you can get it done quicker, and get it done better.
3️⃣ By writing down your plans ✍️ and getting them out of your head and onto paper, your brain space is freed up to think of new ideas, be inspired and find solutions….all that powerful stuff that helps you grow your business and service your clients.
4️⃣ Having a plan makes things tangible and more real which in turn holds you accountable to them. It’s too easy to say “Oh I didn’t set that goal” or “That wasn’t part of my plan” when it’s just floating in your head and not written down on paper. 🤕
5️⃣ Making a plan means you’ve set an intention to work towards something. You know the goal, the end point and what you want to achieve. When you have that clarity it’s easier and more natural to take action and take steps towards achieving it.
Are you thinking “Jodi, I just don’t have time to spend on planning”?
Does it feel like you’re just adding another item to your already overwhelming to-do list? 👇
I want you to know that by taking just 5-10 minutes to make a plan each day will save you way more time overall. There’s research that shows it can save you up to two hours each day! 🤯
A lot of time can be wasted when you wake up in the morning, not knowing what you’ll be working on, what’s on your plate or what you’ll be doing first.
You’ll spend tons of time all day long trying to decide what to do and what’s next. And being in that constant decision making mode is exhausting and inefficient.
When you don’t have a plan you’re likely going to be a bit scattered, jumping from task to task, and simply shifting between tasks or projects (better known as multi-tasking) takes up a ton of your energy and time too. 🏃♀️
Things are going to take longer to complete because your brain has to move into a new way or mode of thinking each time you shift tasks. This can reduce your productivity by up to 40%. Yikes. And it can take an average of 23 minutes to get back into something or a new task. <—- all numbers based on hard research!
^^^ how much longer are you going to put up with this?
Let us know in the comments how you’re going to start planning your time today! Keep it simple, make it easy, no fancy tools needed.
You made so many good points. I especially appreciate this one: “Having a plan makes things tangible and real which in turn holds you accountable to them….no more telling yourself “Ohhh I didn’t actually set that goal or make that plan.” Will pin this post and say hi from our FB group Connect & Cultivate. Keep up the good work!
Accountability is KEY Nancy! So happy you found this post helpful – and thanks for the pin!