The word ‘planning’ can often overwhelm us and be intimidating, leaving us perplexed about our first move.
I have worked out an APE method to help you cut down the initial bruises from planning.
1. Achievable.
Do you have days, where you work hard, and at the end when you check your to-dos you begin to wonder, ‘what did I get done? and where did all the time go?’
I know I had. I would over ambitiously cram tasks into every minute of my day. It was more frustrating to find that I may not have even ticked off two whole items from the list at the end of my workday.
The trouble lay in creating a ‘generalized’ to-do, thus biting off more than you can chew. It’s best to break your task into doable bite-sized items. Make them achievable.
2. Prioritize.
You must prioritize items. This way, you will ensure you get the important stuff done at the right time. Do not include the entire year’s agenda in a day.
Prioritizing has been my weakest point. Now I consciously choose to prioritize since it gives me the desired push to get started and I know there will be progress.
3. Energy Check.
Your physical strength will be the yardstick at planning. Take in what you can bear. Do not overload your calendar. Too many items in a day can leave us tired and unproductive for the next day. Plan breaks and free time to recharge.
Spreading a task over a few days will make it make less exhaustive and more achievable. You will have fun this way.