Having a plan is always a good idea, however not everything goes according to plan, therefore considering the everchanging world we live in, adaptability becomes more important every day. The need for planning remains imperative to avoid procrastination, discourse and discouragement. The 6 steps below can provide guidance on creating a plan that suits your lifestyle:
Step 1 – Organise your living/working space
This will not only with assist with decluttering your space but also your mind. Having an organised space will motivate you to accomplish other tasks.
Step 2 – What needs to be done?
Write down all the tasks you need to complete. At this stage the focus is the end game, what you want to achieve.
Priority of tasks, scheduling and resources needed to accomplish these tasks are not important at this stage.
Step 3 – Prioritise your tasks and resources
Assign a deadline to completing each task, this will assist with prioritising your attention to what needs to be accomplished first.
Be aware of what resources are needed to accomplish these tasks efficiently and effectively. This will also assist with prioritising the completion of tasks.
Display your tasks as a reminder of what needs to be achieved.
Example: Matriculate Cum Laude
Step 4 – Set SMART goals
Creating SMART goals will assist with achieving every goal set. Below is a framework of what should be included in a goal.
Specific
Don’t generalise what needs to be achieved, the more specific the task the easier it is to achieve.
Measurable
How can a task be completed if there’s nothing to measure it against? Including a measurement aspect to a goal assists with knowing how much you’ve achieved.
Attainable
Is this goal physically and mentally attainable? Do you have the capabilities to achieve this goal?
Relevant
The goal created needs to assist with achieving the ultimate task mentioned in step 2.
Time
Include a period as to when this goal needs to be completed. This assists with scheduling and integrating other tasks that must be achieved.
Write your goals down and display it as a reminder of the tasks ahead.
Example: To Achieve 90% in English every school term.
Step 5 – How to achieve your goals?
Create as many tactics that work together needed to achieve the set goal.
Example: Read over English work covered in class as homework.
Read over work that will be covered in the next class.
Step 6 – Visual schedule
Create a visual schedule to look at as a reminder of what needs to be done and to tick off tasks to create a sense of accomplishment. Include free/leisure time into your schedule and ensure that enough time is planned to complete a task incase the “unpredictable” happens and you need to adapt your plan to suit these changes.
Technology has blessed us with applications that provide some of these steps however the act of writing your tasks down and displaying it in your working space can be more motivating to complete these desired tasks. It creates a greater sense of order and achievement.
Remember to always enjoy what you do as there is no point to doing something that creates stress and unhappiness. This however goes hand in hand with a good plan that balances your time fairly and realistically.
Written by: Abbotts Colleges
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