How to Embrace the Future: Creating a Yearly Plan

Ready for my toast to 2018? Raise a glass, or a cup of tea, and say with me: To planning!

The ability to plan for the future, and then take the actions required to accomplish those plans, requires the use of our brain’s execution functioning. Many many people lack these abilities or underestimate the value of creating future goals. Most of my adult clients, especially those with ADHD, want to plan but don’t know how. As a result, they struggle at home and at work. And many people assume that living a spontaneous life will lead to happiness. Well, think again about that last one!

Why sit down and make plans?

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

According to a recent study by the Metrus Institute, having a life plan is a key behavior of those who feel fulfilled. The study also reported that fulfilled people create balance in their lives, which means that they pay attention to – and make plans for – all aspects of their life, not just work or family.

As I read about the study, I realized that my planning rituals – yearly, weekly, and daily – enable me to be a member of a select group who report living a fulfilled life. Would you like to join that select group too?

Four Steps to Embrace Your Future with Planning

One of the primary goals of my work is to help people develop a conscious awareness of time which is the foundation for planning. Here’s the stripped down version to begin your planning process:

1. Plan for balance in your life for 2018. Create at least one goal for each of the following categories:
   -Friends and Family
   -Home
   -Finances
   -Well being: physical, spiritual and mental health
   -Community
   -Learning
   -Work
2. Break your yearly goals into achievable steps, then add those steps to your yearly calendar right away. For example, scheduling a special trip with a loved one may be something to do right now – before other commitments can prevent it from occurring.
3. Plan your week, include some steps from your yearly goals
4. Plan your day, the night before, and include a step or two from your weekly/yearly goals

While I always look forward to my January planning, this year is extra special because of the launch of our Seeing My Time Adult Planner. I get a warm fuzzy feeling when I think about it because I know that there are dozens and dozens of people out in the world (yes, world – we sent planners to Canada, Great Britain and Australia!) who are excitedly planning their own 2018.

For the first time ever, all of my plans are in a compact organized system to support my brain to reach my goals. It is lovely. As I think of all us contemplating and thus creating our futures, I find a smile on my face – what wonderful positive outcomes will come as a result of all that planning?

Here’s to a 2018 that overflows with a sense of fulfillment. Go forth and plan.

Marydee

PS: If you hurry, you still have time to purchase a SMT Adult Planer before we sell out!