I am a planner.
Plans never happen exactly as envisioned, but I’m conscious of what I want to accomplish.
My process ties back to the Hope Equation by Charles Snyder:
HOPE = Goals + Willpower (Motivation & Habits) + Waypower (Alternative Paths)
Yet, I realize I haven’t shared much about my monthly planning process.
Over the years, I’ve refined the approach.
By sharing, I hope there is something here that could help your journey.
There are two sections to my monthly planning: Reflections and Intentions.
Reflections
I start by spending 30-60 minutes reflecting on the prior month.
Questions to Ask (and document):
What did you accomplish (both personal & professional wins)?
What did you learn? What did you avoid?
What would you have done differently if you could go back?
Are there goals or “to do’s” that it’s time to let go?
Intentions
The next 30-60 minutes I set intentions for the month ahead.
Questions to ask (and document):
What do you want to accomplish in the month ahead (personal & professional)?
How do these tie to your goals for the year?
Is there a new habit or routine you want to implement? What is missing?
When (broadly) will you be working toward each goal – daily, a specific week, etc.?
Your Turn
Do you have a monthly planning process?
If so, how does it shift how you look at time and where you place your priorities?
If not, do you want to give it a try?
If you start today, what would your plan look like?