Planning in uncertain and challenging times is possible (and recommended!)

I often hear people say, “there’s no point in planning, there’s so much I don’t know.” Or, “I just need to wait until things settle down and then figure out a plan”.

Planning is best done anytime

Planning is useful at ANY time but especially when things are uncertain or feel challenging. I know it might sound counterintuitive. But it’s true.

Because when it feels like your world has been tipped upside down by something that’s happened, that’s when planning comes into its own. You see, through the process of planning you get clear about what matters to you and where you want to head. And when you know those two things, you can more confidently navigate your way through whatever you’re facing.

Acknowledge what you’re thinking and feeling

Now, I get that you might feel worried or stressed at the moment. Or maybe you’re sad, angry or grieving. Trust me, I’ve been through my own big life events like serious illness, redundancy, separation and the death of a loved one, and know there’s a mix of emotions.

And it’s important to acknowledge those thoughts and feelings. Avoid pushing them aside because they' won’t go away, in fact, if anything they’ll get more persistent!

Pause and breathe.

Then gently, like a trusted friend, I encourage you to put pen to paper. Grab your journal or a notebook and a pen, and settle into somewhere you can work undisturbed for about 30-minutes (more or less, depending on what time you have available now).

Creating your own plan

Here are 5 prompts to create a plan that will help you feel stronger and more certain about the direction you’re travelling in.

Step 1: Review and reflect on what’s happened

Write anything and everything that comes to mind about where you’re at and what’s happening now. Be sure to include how you’re feeling too.

Step 2: Remember what matters to you

Write down what matters to you. It might be how you want to feel or what you want to do, achieve or experience. If you know your values, write those down too.

Step 3: Release anything that doesn't serve you.

It’s easy to get weighed down by *things* that don’t need your attention now or that aren’t helpful. It might be thoughts that keep going around in your mind, things on your To Do list, physical possessions or something else. Write down what it's time to let go of.

Step 4: Set your focus

Choose a timeframe to plan for - it might be for a year, 6-months, a month, a week or maybe even a day. Then set an intention for how you want to feel and identify 3 priorities or goals you want to focus on.

Step 5: Next steps

You can’t do everything and not everything needs to be done right now. Choose 3 steps you’ll commit to taking immediately. The steps don’t need to be epic-sized (unless of course, that’s right for you). Small steps are perfect for making progress.

Review, reflect, release & reset

Things will change. But by having a plan, you can now better understand the impact of those changes and consciously choose what you’ll do.

That’s why it’s important to continually review and reflect on what’s happening and how you’re going, to release anything that you don’t need now, and to reset your focus. It’s a cycle, a process that repeats.

Having a plan will give you a greater sense of certainty when your world feels even more uncertain and challenging than usual.