The Purposeful Planning Method, Chapter Six
How to Plan Your Day, Beat Procrastination, and Regain Control of Your Time
Copyright © 2019 by Matthew C. East
All rights reserved.
CHAPTER SIX
The 10-Day Purposeful Planning Challenge
"Keep in mind that besides the eight hours of work, each day also has eight hours for fooling around, and then there’s also Sunday."
— Albert Einstein
So far, you've learned how The Purposeful Planning Method will help you plan and take action on your most important priorities each day. You know how it can help you live a more meaningful life by prioritizing time for your most important activities and relationships.
To start using The Purposeful Planning Method successfully, I've created a 10-Day Purposeful Planning Method Challenge. To sign up for a daily email guiding you through the 10-Day Challenge, visit www.matt-east.com/challenge. The Challenge creates momentum by helping you build progress for ten consecutive days. We start by identifying our top three priorities for the day. By the end of the Challenge, you will be using The Purposeful Planning Method for planning your day.
If you continue using The Purposeful Planning Method after the Challenge, no dream, goal, or pursuit is out of your grasp. Doing this morning ritual of planning will transform your life. It should only take about seven minutes per day.
Clients often refer to this morning ritual as "doing their layers." It includes the following:
Creating your Fluid Layer for your day (this takes about five minutes)
Reviewing your Habit Layer (this takes about two minutes)
I see clients successfully transform their life using this method every day. You can do the same. Use it to regain control of your time, take more action toward your goals, pursue your passions, and enrich your relationships.
Before sharing the 10-Day Challenge, I have a secret to share with you. Many people wait to make changes in their life because they don't feel motivated enough to start. So, they plan to begin once they are motivated.
Here's the secret: The most successful people in the world understand motivation follows action. Not the other way around. There is a common misconception that it's necessary to feel motivated before taking action. Beware of this mindset. It's a dream killer. Waiting for motivation before you act is a recipe for never starting.
This secret can be a cruel life lesson if you never learn it. Think about how many people say they want to pursue one of their dreams (write a book, start a business, or find a new job), but they will start when they feel motivated. Unfortunately, most people will never pursue their goals because the motivation won’t come until they act.
It's critical not to wait until you feel motivated to begin the 10-Day Challenge. Trust your motivation to follow once you start.
Tips to keep in mind during the Challenge:
Completing tasks take more time than expected. Give yourself plenty of time to complete the tasks associated with your priorities.
Build in plenty of open time throughout your day so you can easily handle unexpected tasks and meetings as they arise.
Enjoy the planning process. You're planning how you get to spend your time. Use your top three for as many purposeful and meaningful activities as possible.
If something goes wrong with your planning during the Challenge, don't worry about it. Ask yourself, "What can I learn from this?" Apply the lesson and move on.
The 10-Day Purposeful Planning Challenge
The first three days of the challenge focus on developing your Fluid Layer only. Each day, you'll identify your top three priorities, schedule them on your calendar by identifying the actionable task associated with each one, and complete each task.
Day 1 Challenge:
Remember: Priorities are areas of your life that are important and meaningful to you. Priorities are typically projects you're focusing on at work or home, activities you want to do, or relationships you want to nurture. You achieve your priorities by completing actionable tasks associated with them.
Determine your top three priorities for today.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with your priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do your actionable tasks.
Use these eleven guiding questions to help identify your priorities:
If I could only achieve one thing today, what would it be?
What’s the second most important thing I need to accomplish?
What’s the third most important?
What else needs to be done?
What could I complete today that would make me happy when reflecting on my day?
What can I do that will move me closer to achieving my goals?
Are there projects or tasks that others own but I should follow up on?
What key relationships in my life need my energy today?
What can I do to remove stress from my life?
What tasks can I delegate to someone else today?
Is there a task I’m avoiding that I should complete today?
Day 2 Challenge:
How did Day 1 of the Challenge go? What did you learn?
Determine your top three priorities for today.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with your priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do your actionable tasks.
Day 3 Challenge:
How did Day 2 of the Challenge go? What did you learn? Are you giving yourself enough time to complete your tasks?
Determine your top three priorities for today.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with your priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do your actionable tasks.
Day 4 Challenge:
How did Day 3 of the Challenge go? What did you learn? Are you giving yourself enough time to complete your tasks?
Complete your Fluid Layer using these six steps:
Determine your top three priorities for today.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with your priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do your actionable tasks.
Determine any other priorities for the day.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with these priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do these actionable tasks.
Day 5 Challenge:
How did Day 4 of the Challenge go? What did you learn? Are you giving yourself enough time to complete your tasks? Are you building in enough time between tasks for responding to unexpected items?
Complete your Fluid Layer using these six steps:
Determine your top three priorities for today.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with your priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do your actionable tasks.
Determine any other priorities for the day.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with these priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do these actionable tasks.
Day 6 Challenge:
Today we will begin to build your morning Habit Layer, in addition to your Fluid Layer.
How did Day 5 of the Challenge go? What did you learn? Are you giving yourself enough time to complete your tasks? Are you building in enough time between tasks for responding to unexpected items?
Complete your Fluid Layer using these six steps:
Determine your top three priorities for today.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with your priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do your actionable tasks.
Determine any other priorities for the day.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with these priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do these actionable tasks.
Begin Creating Your Habit Layer:
Add one item to your morning Habit Layer. Remember, this is something you should do consistently throughout the week. Tomorrow you will complete the Habit Layer activity you create today.
Common Habit Layer activities include:
Run
Walk
Practice yoga
Go to the gym
Build a daily writing practice
Meditate
Plan and reflect on the day
Journal
Cook breakfast or dinner
Spend time with family members
Read
Listen to podcasts
Day 7 Challenge:
Today we will begin to build your evening Habit Layer, in addition to your Fluid Layer.
How did Day 6 of the Challenge go? What did you learn? Are you giving yourself enough time to complete your tasks? Are you building in enough time between tasks for responding to unexpected items?
Complete your Fluid Layer using these six steps:
Determine your top three priorities for today.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with your priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do your actionable tasks.
Determine any other priorities for the day.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with these priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do these actionable tasks.
Continue Creating Your Habit Layer.
Add one item to your evening Habit Layer. Remember this is something you should do consistently throughout the week. Tomorrow you will complete the Habit Layer activity you create today.
Day 8 Challenge:
Today we will review and continue to build your morning and evening Habit Layer, in addition to your Fluid Layer.
How did Day 7 of the Challenge go? What did you learn? Are you giving yourself enough time to complete your tasks? Are you building in enough time between tasks for responding to unexpected items? Is there anything in one, two, or three weeks that you need to be planning or acting on today? Is there anything in one, two, or three months that you need to be planning or acting on today.
Complete your Fluid Layer using these six steps:
Determine your top three priorities for today.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with your priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do your actionable tasks.
Determine any other priorities for the day.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with these priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do these actionable tasks.
Habit Layer review:
Are there any small adjustments or tweaks you need to make to your Habit Layer?
Are there any Habits you want to add or delete?
Are there any significant edits you need to make for future events such as travel, upcoming events, or anything else?
Day 9 Challenge:
Today we will review and continue to build your morning and evening Habit Layer, in addition to your Fluid Layer.
How did Day 8 of the Challenge go? What did you learn? Are you giving yourself enough time to complete your tasks? Are you building in enough time between tasks for responding to unexpected items? Is there anything in one, two, or three weeks that you need to be planning or acting on today? Is there anything in one, two, or three months that you need to be planning or acting on today?
Determine your top three priorities for today.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with your priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do your actionable tasks.
Determine any other priorities for the day.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with these priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do these actionable tasks.
Habit Layer review:
Are there any small adjustments or tweaks you need to make to your Habit Layer?
Are there any Habits you want to add or delete?
Are there any significant edits you need to make for future events such as travel, upcoming events, or anything else?
Day 10 Challenge:
Today we will review and continue to build your morning and evening Habit Layer, in addition to your Fluid Layer.
How did Day 9 of the Challenge go? What did you learn? Are you giving yourself enough time to complete your tasks? Are you building in enough time between tasks for responding to unexpected items? Is there anything in one, two, or three weeks that you need to be planning or acting on today? Is there anything in one, two, or three months that you need to be planning or acting on today?
Determine your top three priorities for today.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with your priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do your actionable tasks.
Determine any other priorities for the day.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with these priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do these actionable tasks.
Habit Layer review:
Are there any small adjustments or tweaks you need to make to your Habit Layer?
Are there any Habits you want to add or delete?
Are there any significant edits you need to make for future events such as travel, upcoming events, or anything else?
If you complete the Challenge and continue using The Purposeful Planning Method each day, you are on your way to becoming one of the most productive people in the world. But most importantly, you are now someone who approaches their day with purpose and clarity. You can achieve anything you choose. If you completed this Challenge, please email me at matt@matt-east.com. I'd love to hear how you're using The Purposeful Planning Method to create success in your life.
Use the following framework to continue with the Method:
What did you learn yesterday? Are you giving yourself enough time to complete your tasks? Are you building in enough time between tasks for responding to unexpected items? Is there anything in one, two, or three weeks that you need to be planning or acting on today? Is there anything in one, two, or three months that you need to be planning or acting on today?
Determine your top three priorities for today.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with your priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do your actionable tasks.
Determine any other priorities for the day.
Identify the actionable tasks associated with these priorities.
Block the time on your calendar to do these actionable tasks.
Habit Layer review:
Are there any small adjustments or tweaks you need to make to your Habit Layer?
Are there any Habits you want to add or delete?
Are there any significant edits you need to make for future events such as travel, upcoming events, or anything else?