When you're having a problem, trying to look at everything in your life, or simply putting the day's activities together, you'll need a plan. Creating a plan can seem daunting but with persistence, the right tools, and a little creativity, you will be able to devise a plan and begin to reach your goals.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Planning Daily Activities
Step 1. Sit down with a piece of paper
It could be a journal, a spiral notebook, or a blank document on your computer – whatever is convenient for you. Make a list of what you need to complete the day's activities, including any appointments or meetings you have. What is your goal for that day? Do you want to include training or relaxation sessions in it? What tasks do you have to complete?
Step 2. Make a schedule for yourself
What time should you finish with the first task, project, or activity of the day. List each activity, starting with the earliest activity, and working your way up to the next hour of the day. Make sure you attend any appointments or meetings you have. Of course, everyone has different days, so everyone's plans are different. The basic plan will look like this:
- 9:00-10:00 am: Go to office, check email, send reply
- 10:00-11:30 am: Meeting with Rudi and Susi
- 11:30-2:30 pm: Project #1
- 12:30-1:15pm: Lunch (Healthy meal!)
- 1:15-2:30 pm: Review project #1, meet Andi and discuss project #1
- 2:30-4:00 pm: Project #2
- 4:00-5:00 pm: Start project #3, prepare for the next day
- 5:00-6:30 pm: Get out of the office, go to the gym
- 6:30-7:00 pm: Buy groceries and head home
- 7:00-8:30pm: Make dinner, relax
- 8:30pm: Go to the cinema with Rangga
Step 3. Restore focus around once every hour
It's important to take a moment after each allotted time to review how productive you are at doing so. Did you do everything you needed to get it done? Then, take a break for a while – close your eyes and rest. This method will help you to perform the next activity more effectively.
Sometimes, you have to step away from work and come back to it later. Be sure to note down the last piece you worked on. That way, it will be easier for you to continue again
Step 4. Review your activities during the day
When you've completed most of the day's activities, take a moment to review how successfully you've followed your plan. Are you able to finish everything you want? Where are you unable to finish? What went well and what didn't? What are the distractions and how can you get past each in the future?
Keep in mind that some tasks can take days or weeks to complete, and that's okay. Try to remember the accomplishments and progress of the task rather than looking at it as a whole. If necessary, learn to schedule activities for the week to help complete assignments on time
Method 2 of 3: Making a Life Plan
Part One: Assessing Your Role
Step 1. Determine what role you are playing at this moment
Every day we perform different roles (from student to child, from artist to rider). What you have to do is think about the role you are currently playing in your daily life.
These roles can include (among others): traveler, student, daughter, writer, draftsman, worker, designer, climber, granddaughter, thinker, etc
Step 2. Consider the role you want to play in the future
Many roles in the future that may complement the role you have now. The role is the noun you want to use to describe yourself in old age. Consider the role you are currently playing. Are there roles that are not important and stress you out? If so, it's probably not a role you should continue in life. Prioritize roles from most important to least important. This exercise will help you determine what you truly value in life and what is most important to you. Keep in mind, however, that this list can be changed entirely – as you keep changing.
Your list of roles might look something like: mother, daughter, wife, traveler, designer, advisor, volunteer, climber, etc
Step 3. Determine the reasons behind the role you want to play
A role is a great way to assert yourself, but the reason behind why you want to play the role is the bottom line. Maybe you want to volunteer because you see problems in the world and want to be a part of fixing them. Or maybe you want to be a father because you want to give your children a wonderful childhood.
One way to help you determine the purpose of the role is to imagine when you are buried (yes this may be a bit scary, but it works). Who will attend? What would you like to hear about yourself? How do you want to be remembered?
Part Two: Setting Goals and Making Plans
Step 1. Make a broad goal that you want to achieve in life
How do you want to move forward? What do you want to achieve in this life? Think of this as a wish list – something you want to do before you die. This goal should really be something you want to achieve – not something you think you should have. Sometimes this helps you create categories related to goals. So, it will be easier for you to imagine it. These are some of the categories you can use (but certainly not limited to these):
- Career/job; journey; social(family/friends); health; finance; knowledge/intellectual; spirituality
- Some examples of objectives (according to the categories above) include: publishing a book; traveling to every continent; marry and start a family; lose weight by 10 kg; make enough money to send a child to college; completed a master's degree in Creative Writing; learn more about Buddhism, etc.
Step 2. Set specific goals with specific dates for achieving them
You now have some vague goals that you want to achieve in this life, then make a definite goal. This means you set a date to achieve it. These are some examples that are clearer than the list in the previous stage.
- Send book manuscripts to 30 publishers by June 2024
- Travel to South America in 2025 and Asia in 2026.
- Have a weight of 60 kg in January 2025
Step 3. Consider reality and where you are right now
This means being honest about yourself and really looking at your life right now. With reference to your list of goals, think about where you are and how it relates to your goals. As an example:
Your goal is to publish a book and you must send the manuscript to the publisher by November 2024. Now, you have only written half of the manuscript, and you are also not sure about the manuscript at this time
Step 4. Understand how you will achieve your goals
What steps will you take to achieve your goals? Assess the steps you must take to move forward and write down those steps. To continue with the example of publishing a book:
- From now until November 2024 you will have to: A. Reread the first half of the book. B. Finish writing the book. C. Rework the aspects you didn't like about the book. D. Edit grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc. E. Seek advice from friends who read books. F. Do some research on the publishers you think would consider publishing a book. G. Submitting manuscripts.
- After listing down all the stages, consider which one is the more difficult of the other stages. You may have to detail some of the steps further.
Step 5. Write down the steps to achieve all your goals
You can do this in any format you like – like handwritten, on a computer, in image form, etc. Congratulations, you have written a life plan!
Step 6. Review your plan and adjust it
Like everything in the world, your life will change and so will your goals. What was important when you were 12 may not be as important now when you are 22 or 42. It's okay to change your life plans, in fact this is a good thing to do because it shows that you care and are in tune with the changes that are happening in your life.
Method 3 of 3: Solving Problems with a Plan
Part One: Understanding the Problem
Step 1. Identify the problem you are facing
Sometimes, the most difficult part of putting together a plan is solving a problem you're not sure about. Often times, the problems we face actually cause us more problems. What you have to do is explore the ins and outs of the problem – the real problem that you need to solve.
Mom won't let you go hiking for four weeks. This is clearly a problem, but what you have to do is understand the root of the problem. In fact, you got a C- in algebra, which is why he doesn't want you to spend time camping on the weekends. Therefore, the real problem is that you don't get good grades in math class. This is an issue that you should pay attention to
Step 2. Know what you expect from solving the problem
What is the goal you want to achieve by solving the problem? There may be more expectations related to your main goal. Focus on achieving your goals and other results will come along.
Your goal is to score at least a B in math class. In line with your goals, with better grades, your parents might let you climb the mountain
Step 3. Find out what you did that could be causing the problem
What habits do you often do that cause problems? Take a moment to examine the relationship between your interaction and the problem at hand.
The problem is that you got a C- in math class. What you do can cause problems: you often talk to your friends in class, and you don't do your homework every night because you just joined a football team and after training on Tuesdays and Thursdays, all you want to do is have dinner. and sleep
Step 4. Pay attention to any outside obstacles that might be causing problems
While many problems are caused by your own actions, there may also be external obstacles that interfere. Consider this possibility.
You got a C- in math, which you should change. The obstacle to success, however, may be that you don't understand the concepts taught in class – not just because you talk in class, but because you don't really understand algebra all this time. At the same time, you don't know where to turn for help
Part Two: Finding Solutions and Planning
Step 1. Determine possible solutions to the problem
You can list your solutions on a piece of paper, or apply some brainstorming techniques (activities to find ideas) such as creating a mind map. Whichever you choose, you should consider solutions to both the ways in which you personally are causing the problem, and the obstacles you may face that are not self-inflicted.
- Solutions from talking to friends in class: A. Force yourself to sit in the opposite place from your friends in class. B. Tell your friends that you are doing poorly in class and that you need to focus more. C. If you have a seating plan, tell the teacher to move you around so you can focus more.
- Solutions not to do homework because of football: A. Do homework at lunch or during free time so that you only have to do the rest at night. B. Stick to a strict schedule – after your workout you will have dinner and then do your homework. Reward yourself by watching TV for an hour after the task is done.
- Solution of not understanding algebra. A. Seek help from classmates who can explain algebraic concepts (but only when neither of you is distracted while solving problems). B. Ask the teacher for help – approach the teacher after class and ask if you can see him because you have a question regarding homework. C. Find a tutor or join a study group.
Step 2. Make a plan
Now that you know what the problem is and have found a solution by brainstorming, choose a solution that you think will solve the problem and write a plan for yourself. Writing a plan will help you envision it. Put the plan you've written down where you'll see it often, such as on the glass you used to get ready. You don't need to use all of the solutions on the list, but you do need to save some of the other solutions just in case.
- The plan for improving math scores should look something like this:
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Plans to increase grades within four weeks:
- Talk to Santi that you can't talk to her in class. (If he keeps talking to you, switch seats)
- Do my homework at lunch every Tuesday and Thursday so I'll still be able to go to soccer practice but leave less homework when I get home.
- Head to the tutoring center for math at school for help every Monday and Wednesday; ask the teacher if there is an additional award if I can improve my score.
- Goal: after the fourth week I can improve my score at least I got a B.
Step 3. Evaluate the success of the plan after a week
Did you do everything you expected to do during the first week of trying the plan? If not, where can you not do it? By knowing what you have to do, you will be able to be more effective by sticking to the plan for the next week.
Step 4. Stay motivated
The only way you can be successful is if you stay motivated. If you do better when you're motivated, reward yourself (even if it's enough to just solve the problem). If you deviate from your plan one day, don't let it happen again. Don't slack off a plan halfway just because you feel you're close to achieving your goal – stick to the plan.
If you find something you're doing isn't going well, change plans. Swap the solutions in the plan with other solutions that you come up with during the brainstorming process
Tips
- Once you reach it, review the plan again so you can see the progress.
- When adding details to the plan, try to estimate what could go wrong and make a contingency plan.
- Congratulate yourself on your plans and cheer yourself up about your goals. Imagine how your life will be different after completing the plan.
- Remember planning only turns chaos into mistakes – don't expect just because you made a plan that things work out perfectly without any further effort. Planning is just a starting point.
- Have common sense and don't show your boyfriend where he is on your daily plan.
