How I Stopped Feeling Behind Every January
Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich
TL/DR:
Annual planning often feels like a crisis because time isn’t blocked in advance
Blocking time now prevents last-minute planning panic
If you want to plan, but find it a little overwhelming, I’ve got some free guides to help you make an actionable plan in under an hour.
The Whole Shebang:
Years ago I was working with several clients from a large technology company whose name you definitely know (but I won’t divulge).
And these clients kept referring to “emergency planning”.
They were frustrated that they had to make time for it, and that it took a long time.
But because these people were software engineers, managers, directors and VPs, I couldn’t quite grasp what they were talking about.
What kind of emergencies?
Look, I’d worked in tech startups for 15 years before I started this business, and I couldn’t recall ever doing any emergency planning related to the tech.
Yes, emergencies happened occasionally (like the site going down) but these weren’t emergencies that required several days of advance planning.
And so, at the risk of making myself look foolish (which I’m pretty much always willing to do in order to find out what I don’t know), I asked what they meant.
And I was pretty surpised to find out that they meant “annual planning”, like planning for the year ahead.
And then I asked another question:
“Why are you calling it “emergency planning”?”
The answer came back:
“Because it always feels like a fire drill. All of a sudden, we have to throw out our priorities to focus on planning for a week.”
And my next (logical, I think) question was:
“But, doesn’t this happen every year? Isn’t it, to some degree, predictable?”
And the answer was:
“Well, yes, it does happen every year, but because the time isn’t allocated on the calendar, it feels like an emergency with a tight deadline that throws everything off schedule.”
And before I could even open my mouth, the “aha moments” started flowing out of theirs:
“Right, if I block the time in advance, on a recurring basis, every year, then it won’t feel like an emergency that throws everything into chaos because I will know it’s coming, and I will have held the space.”
Yup; I couldn’t agree more.
So that’s what they did.
And now? No more “emergency planning”!
Now, you may have been scarred in the past by annual planning.
Trying to fit it into the busy year end, just like my clients.
Or making detailed plans and then not looking at them again until October when you start to freak out, realizing that you’re not even close to accomplishing those goals set back in December of last year.
So, I’m gonna help you out.
I’ve got a couple of free resources to help you think about the year ahead, and make concrete, doable plans, in under an hour.
👉 Super-Quick Annual Planning Guide
If planning has historically stressed you out, consider this your salve.
If you’ve always meant to do a little annual planning, but had no idea where to start, this is a simplified, step by step guide to get you going.
And, if you’re like me, and planning for the whole year ahead feels both daunting and pointless because you know things are gonna change by Q2, then I’ve got a Quarterly Planning guide for you, for free, right here.
👉 Super-Quick Quarterly Planning Guide
And, if you always intend to plan, but find that you never make the time, I’ll give you one more tip:
Right now, block off the time for next year, so you won’t be faced with “emergency planning.
When you’re ready, here are 3 ways we can work together:
Enroll in the Time Well Spent courseBite-sized, shame-free steps to take control of your time, and your life. Built for real people with big lives, big jobs, or both. Learn more, or enroll here.
Get 1:1 CoachingHigh-touch coaching for people managers, leaders, executives and founders who need a trusted partner to streamline priorities, manage the overwhelm, and focus on what moves the needle most. Schedule a call to explore if this is the right fit for you.
Explore Team Workshops/TrainingCustomized workshops and trainings to help your team improve productivity without burnout and create a culture where people (actually) thrive. Schedule a call to explore if this is the right fit for you.
