Last Minute Halloween Costumes
October 31, 2015Time Sucks
November 5, 2015It seems to me that people all too often treat planning and flexibility (or spontaneity) as opponents in some great cosmic battle. In fact, they are two sides of the same coin.
I plan. It's what I do. I can pretty much tell you what I'm doing every evening for the next two weeks, including what chores I need to complete, I'm having for dinner, what I'll be reading, and what I'll watch on TV. I program my DVR two weeks ahead.
That doesn't mean I lack spontaneity. I consider my plans to be a map, not a prison. If a friend comes into town or tickets for a great show become available or I'm just tired and decide to take a hot bath and go to bed early, no worries. My planning allows me to easily reschedule the essentials (like doing laundry) so that I can take advantage of wonderful opportunities without unduly adding to my stress. And, I can make sure that no essentials get lost in the shuffle.
For me, not having a basic plan in place causes stress. I know there are tins of things I need to do, but I don't know how to approach them. I spend a lot of time wandering in circles instead of getting to my desired destination.
How do you feel about planning?