How to Enhance Your Planning Skills

by RobertKeith

Many people find themselves in need of more time. There may never seem enough time in the day to get all the tasks that need done accomplished.

This can be a serious problem, as not getting tasks done can put you behind on projects. Beyond completing projects on time, not having a good schedule can make you feel dissatisfied and can cause a low-level anxiety to form. Because of these reasons and others, good planning skills are a great asset to develop. The question then becomes how to actually enhance these skills. Below are some ideas on how to accomplish just that.

Understand the Task(s)

The first step in enhancing your planning skills is to know and truly understand the tasks that need to be done. For one, you need to know how long a task will take. Be honest when considering this and do not underestimate the time. Be objective and plan objectively. 

The second aspect in understanding a task is how much effort it will take. Figure out if you do better taking on tough tasks first, or if you prefer to get the smaller, easier tasks done and out of the way to quickly to build momentum. Neither way is right or wrong. What makes you more effective and efficient is best in this regard. 

By understanding how long a task will take and how much effort it will require, you can start to plan and organize your tasks. 

Business Planning Example
Business Planning Example

Set a Schedule

This is an important part of enhancing your planning skills. Once you understand the tasks and how long they will take, you can start to schedule in you day and work. Set time limits for when certain tasks need to be done. Self-imposing these time limits can help keep you on track and can be a motivation for you to work. 

Setting a schedule can also help keep you balanced and stable. Having a routine can help your state of mind and can keep you from becoming frantic. Anxiety developed from not getting tasks done on time can be crippling and very unpleasant. 

Utilize Tools

This point in some ways relates back to the previous point of setting a schedule. One way to help keep you on track with a schedule and your plan in general is to use the tools at your disposal. One such tool could be an online or app calendar. These types of calenders can sync across devices and can help keep you on schedule. 

There are other services similar to online calenders that can help you schedule in appointments easily. This can help keep you on track as well and can make daily tasks run more smoothly and efficiently. The point here is to utilize tools that can help you stick to your planning and schedule. 

Ability to Execute

If a plan is going to be successful, ultimately is to be able to be executed. You could have a plan made by the best planners in the world, but if you cannot execute it, it is not an effective plan. You have to actually be able to execute a plan for it to be successful. Always keep this in mind when developing a plan for yourself or anyone else. 

Consistency

Changing any habit can be a difficult and long process. The same is true for your planning skills. Bad habits concerning planning can be difficult to overcome. That is why it is necessary to be consistent in your planning. 

Often you are aware of the changes that need to occur for you to start successfully planning. Break down these changes into smaller steps and start there. Do not expect too much of yourself at first. Trying to plan everything and take on so much at once can be a great way to burn yourself out. Start making small adjustments to how you plan your schedule or events, and slowly increase the size and nature of these adjustments over time. Being consistent is key. 

Learning how to plan more efficiently can greatly enhance your personal life and business. That being said, having a guide on some ways to do this can be helpful. Hopefully the list above can help you learn how to enhance your planning skills.

Updated: 05/26/2018, RobertKeith
 
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