Can you over plan?

I work with people in my office and friends on time management and planning. I even try with my 12 year old, but I keep getting these looks like “Are you serious?” Regardless, I do my best to provide a myriad of topics to them based on my research and trial and error over the past 10 to 15 years of trying and failing and be successful at time management. The one thing that I suggest to them that gets chuckles the most is that you should try and plan as much as you can even time with yourself or family members. I usually get this look like “You’re kidding.” But I explain to them that it is important to plan time for what you need.

I suggest to them the follow:

1. Time scheduled is more likely to be kept. We often tell ourselves I will clean the garage out this weekend or mow the grass tomorrow night and it seems that they never get done because we get caught up doing something else. I often point out to people this question “When was the last time you missed a meeting or an appointment that was scheduled in your calendar?” Most the time it is I haven’t. Then I point out that if this is the case, why would you not schedule the things in your life that you need to get done too.

2. Faith, Family and “Me” are big rocks. Using the FranklinCovey method of big rocks. Things related to faith and family and myself are the big rocks that need to be scheduled first on our calendar. This way they are put into the calendar and should be marked as non-negotiables in our life. We need to get these scheduled first. Then we can plan everything else around us. I schedule things as innocuous as prayer time in the morning and homework time with my son and time out with the wife and kids. Some people call this going over board and trivialize these things. But I do not think so. It makes my commitment more to them knowing that I carve out time for them and let others know that the time is a non-negotiable. Plus it also allows people who have access to my calendar at work to know that these times, I am not available.

3. Schedule goof off time. Really? Are you losing it? That is what most people say. But if you do not do this, you will find yourself working yourself to death, taking care of others and soon find you self burned out and worn down. We have to have time to sharpen the saw and refuel. Again in my experience, if you don’t plan it you are less likely to do it. If you are less likely to do it, you might not do it at all.

4. Have a family calendar. In order to keep everyone on the same page and for family members to know what each one is doing. I often suggest a common calendar for family. This calendar has info on it for everyone’s activities and then family members know who is doing what and when time is available for them. As part of this I recommend setting aside time to sit down together, each week if possible, to plan for the follow week and update the family calendar.

5. Schedule time once a year for deep reflection. I schedule time a day or two at least for deep reflection once a year. This time is usually spent reviewing my mission statement and updating it. At the same time, I look at things from a high level perspective and plan the big rock goals that I will work on for the following year. This time is refreshing, realigning, revealing, and provides great revelation. I suggest this to all who ask.

Can you over plan? Maybe, but for me it seems to work. Not everything I teach or suggest works for everyone but it does work for some and it might work for you. So, what do you suggest? What types of things do you do to control your time and getting things done? Let me know.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”