Reality Check: Sticking to the Plan

When I recently reviewed my to-do list, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I had accomplished more than I had realized!
Perceptions are funny. Lots of factors contribute to how we perceive whether we are making progress. Brand new tasks continually pop up in front of us, insisting that they be handled. We could get the impression that we are making no headway at all. That would be discouraging, wouldn’t it?
By making a habit of looking back over what we have completed, we can get a more honest and balanced perspective.
There will always be things to be done. If we allow ourselves to be controlled by all of those immediate, seemingly urgent tasks, then we have no time to devote to the less urgent, but important long-term ones.
Dr. Bob Wubbolding has written about a process that complements Choice Theory called WDEP. In brief, WDEP corresponds to assessing our Wants, what we’re Doing, Evaluating our actions and then creating a Plan.
Some folks see the very idea of making a “Plan” as annoying; it restricts one’s freedom to live spontaneously. While I understand the appeal of unfettered freedom, I wonder whether anyone actually has it. And a plan, even if it’s only in your head, does offer advantages.
For example, let’s say you’d like to declutter. Your plan and your to-do list would reflect that. A friend offers you her lifetime collection of antique saltshakers! Wow!! Hard to turn that down now, isn’t it?
But you made your plan for a reason and you can stick to it. Try saying, “Thank you, they are beautiful, but my plan is to reduce my possessions.” If you think that’s too harsh, you can add that you’ll offer to help with her effort. That’s up to you.
We can choose many goals. For you, reducing clutter may not be an issue, but saving money, developing warmer relationships, or learning skills could be what you want.
A detailed plan is likely more effective than a sketchy overview. Personally, I make lists, but I recognize that not everyone likes lists. Even an unwritten plan that defines your direction is more helpful than no plan at all.
There are some advantages for those who choose to write things down.
First, it frees up valuable brain storage room! Once on paper (preferably in a notebook so you can find it again) the task need nag you no longer. You won’t forget it; it’s written down. If you’ve never tried this, you may find it surprisingly comforting!
Second, you may find that you make more thoughtful choices. It’s easier to assess the priority of one item versus another when they are in front of you on a piece of paper rather than rattling around in your head.
Finally, like me, every once in a while you may get an unexpected little jolt of joy when you realize that you have, in fact, accomplished tasks that you had set out to do.
A common perception is that life is complicated. Things change rapidly; it’s hard to keep up. Regardless of our age or situation, we can feel overwhelmed by our tasks. Even small tasks can be disturbing if we perceive that they are popping up in unmanageable numbers.
A plan can help. However, if you want to stick to the plan, you first need to have one. Putting some thought into creating one can be surprisingly satisfying. Do you plan ahead? Do you use a written plan?