There are so many tricks and suggestions in the web that help you with planning the day, month, year. Every article written praises their 5 to 10 ways to efficient planning. Hell, even we at Weekdone have given You many tips to increase Your productivity and achieve better planning skills. The overload of the information has made us think about where is the line between planning and over planning?
Let’s make one thing clear. We do not question the need to plan. Our entire product is basically built up on the logic of PPP (Progress, Plans, Problems). Therefore, planning is a central part. Making plans is a crucial habit that helps You to push forward Yourself and the team. Plans give direction and guidance towards the vision.
So, where is the fine line? Honest answer: even we are not 100% sure. What we do know is that when the competitors start getting ahead and no innovation occurs – that might be a sign of over planning.
You can not plan everything down to a second and willfully hold on to those plans even if the conditions change. As much as we would like to control all the variables that help on the road to success, we also know it is impossible. The market conditions change, preferences change, people in Your team change and so on. That is why we suggest to add up to 5 items each week to the plans category.
How to Avoid Over Planning
- Know the overall objectives. Write them down. When You are using Weekdone, then just write them under the company or team objectives. Now, work Your way back to the weekly tasks that need to be done in order to achieve that goal.
- Keep it simple. Do not overwhelm Yourself and others with little tasks. Brake the big objective into small tasks that are challenging and achievable today.
- Act. Start working and feel the joy of moving the planned items into done list (well, at least Weekdone users can enjoy this feeling). Let’s be realistic, there will be times when problems appear but don’t let that stop You. Adjust to the situation, let others help You and try again.
If you are not using Weekdone, then try this weekly reporting tool, it helps You fight the over planning.