How to Plan for More Time and Have Time for More Planning

It is important to realize that the title of this article could have been written the other way around, and while at the surface it may seem as stating the same thing, this is the illusion that most people are deceived by and hence therefore are doing less with more, instead of more, with less.

Now let me clarify, this to another level. Most people complain about "Well if I had more time, then I could really plan my days!" Yet this approach will never allow you to have that time, therefore no planning as well. Only one of these is in our control, and time is out of hands, yet we can take hold of it only when we know what we want to do with it.

When I was in school, the more hours of classes I took and the more jobs I worked the more I was able to do in less and less time. I made better grades as well. Everyone has the same 168 hours a week, however, how we use those hours can mean the difference between you getting the next promotion or one of your colleagues instead.

So since planning is under your control then this is where you must start. I heard an interview with Mark McCormack the best selling author of "What They Still Don't Teach You At Harvard Business School" and he mentioned that one of the things that made him such a success was that he plans his day, everyday! He spends one hour everyday planning the next 23 hours. And that one hour a day is the smartest investment anyone can make for themselves.

Spend a few hours to design a system for yourself, any system, and stick to it. And as you continue to use it, notice where and when it works and where and when it doesn't, and change it appropriately. Most people get stuck in the "ready, aim, fire" mentality, and unfortunately these same people never get passed getting ready and taking aim. So taking a "ready, fire, aim" approach may be more useful, as long as you are paying attention to know where and when to make changes.

The key is to create a plan and put it in writing. A philosophy, I always have lived by is that "the shortest pencil is better than the longest memory." And besides, our mind will record everything unconsciously anyway, so why not keep the conscious clutter to a minimum.

If you can, imagine, just stop and consider for a moment, step back from yourself for a bit, so that you can take a look at your whole life up to now and all the things that have yet to have happened; notice the things you want to do. If you don't know yet, then come up with something and plug it in the appropriate place in time for it to happen. And at the same time, pay attention to mistakes you've made in the past, and as you can see them now with greater clarity to gain some useful learnings, make a note to do things differently in the future. If you ignore the past, you will miss opportunities to learn. So it is important to see what has happened in just the right angle as well as see what is to come ahead before you come face-to-face with it. Now this is only useful at certain times such as when you are planning. While at other times, it is best to be really in the moment, that is when you really have fun.

And it is just as important to be in a fun, resourceful state when planning, especially when you are making important life decisions. It would be ridiculous to come home one day and be thinking "life stinks, hmmm...what should I do with the rest of my life?" That is not where you want to be, instead get yourself into the most wonderful state of mind you can get yourself into. Such as times when you feel really competent, making excellent decisions, feeling highly enthusiastic, creative, and totally uninhibited. When you plan for the future, you want to remove all restrictions, so that anything is possible now. Remember each moment holds its own obstacles and challenges, and you will overcome them when the time comes.

"Luck is the crossroads where opportunity and preparation meet." Every moment also holds its own opportunities, however it is up to you to prepare yourself now.

Begin by planning for it!