We have always been taught that planning is essential in business as well as in our personal lives. It helps us become more organized with our time and become more productive with our tasks at hand. Plans give us structure and coordination to be able to reach our goals as smoothly as possible. They provide us proper prioritization to accomplish more tasks as efficient as possible. Excellent planning is the core of any successful business. It is the blueprint of all your decisions and actions.
If you break it down, planning is simply about forecasting the future and what actions to take in response. Planning is recommended whether for your business ventures or for personal reasons. But just like everything else, too much of something is not always a good thing and this holds especially true for planning. We can get obsessed with the planning process that it will distract us from actually doing the work. There is a danger that if you focus too much on the planning process it will feel that work is actually being done but the truth is, you are not being productive. This is just one of the reasons why you should take a step back and asses if you are putting in too much time and effort with planning.
Over-Planning Is Procrastination
Taking up too much time to plan is time not being used for the actual work. We should plan accordingly and use most of our time for the actual work involved to execute the plan. As mentioned before, at its core, planning is about forecasting. There are just too many variables that we cannot control and many factors that can change in the future. Not everything has to be planned. Avoid micro-managing every aspect of your business or life.
The Present Is the Only Time You Have Control Over
We are never sure how the future will unfold. You can plan all you want but it does not change the fact that the future is and will always be a mystery. It all boils down to using your time efficiently and there is no best time to use it than in the present. Instead of over-planning, use the time to seize the present moment and make the most out of it.
Overthinking The Future Will Stress You Out
Over-planning will lead to overthinking the future. Overthinking the future will lead to stress. We do not want unnecessary stress. When your mind starts to wander into the future, ask yourself if it is necessary for the present situation. Live within the moment to reduce stress.