“Forget future plans: focus on today. Embrace microplanning to transform procrastination into productivity and watch your day magically unfold” - Jeannette

Introduction

Have you ever found yourself stuck in a cycle of planning but never doing it? I don't know about you, but I'm the kind of person who loves to make a plan. Trello, Notion, ClickUp—you name it, I’ve tried it. Something about organizing everything and seeing it perfectly laid out before me makes me feel great. 

The Problem? Implementing.

Once my beautiful plan is done and everything is set to go, I run into a little bit of trouble. You see, with plans, there's always a future start date. Tomorrow! Monday! New Year's! Planning is generally for the future, but what about the now? I've realized that planning for me has become a procrastination strategy. I trick myself into thinking I'm doing things, but actually, I'm always just planning to do them.

Today, I was thinking yet again about how I wasn't feeling as productive as I wanted to and started idealizing my next plan. But then I had another thought. I've been here before, making yet another plan that hasn't worked. I realized that I didn't want to experience the feeling of failure that often comes with not following through with my best-laid plans. I wanted to feel that sense of accomplishment, at least for today. That's when I decided to switch my approach. Forget future plans; I will work on TODAY.

Introducing Microplanning

If you think about SMART goals, you'll remember that they tell us SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. And so a NEW plan was born! Hey, you can only be who you are 🤗, and I'll always be a planner at heart, but I wanted to adjust my planning to actually work for me.

Planning Just for Today

Planning just for today made me realize that if I could focus on the day ahead, I could achieve so much more than if I focused on the year, quarter, or month ahead. By focusing on what I could accomplish today, I could let go of the sense of overwhelm that takes hold of me when I plan too far ahead.

I can infuse this day with self-love and acceptance because that feels attainable. Just for today, I will accept myself as I am, love myself unconditionally, sit down and write this blog, and remember to be gentle and kind to myself and others.

Finding Inspiration in Music

As often happens to me, a tune will come through as I'm writing or thinking about something. I always recognize this as my message from above. Here's what came up while writing this post: Ron Sexsmith's "There's Gold In Them Hills."

Gold In Them Hills Lyrics

I know it doesn't seem that way
But maybe it's the perfect day
Even though the bills are piling
And maybe Lady Luck ain't smiling

But if we'd only open our eyes
We'd see the blessings in disguise
That all the rain clouds are fountains
Though our troubles seem like mountains

[Chorus]
There's gold in them hills
There's gold in them hills
So don't lose heart
Give the day a chance to start

Every now and then life says
"Where do you think you're going so fast"
We're apt to think it cruel but sometimes
It's a case of cruel to be kind

And if we'd get up off our knees
Why then we'd see the forest for the trees
And we'd see the new sun rising
Over the hills on the horizon

Conclusion

So, my beautiful friend, I wanted to share with you how I've adjusted my planning to work for me and encourage you to find ways to make whatever is happening in your life work for you. If something isn't working, it's probably because the Universe wants to co-create a better way with you and gently nudge you toward your path.

Just for today, maybe the perfect plan is to trust the nudge, trust that the path is unfolding perfectly, and move forward confidently, knowing that you are held in love and surrounded by Light.

All my love 💜, J