The Purposeful Planning Method, Chapter Seven

How to Plan Your Day, Beat Procrastination, and Regain Control of Your Time

Copyright © 2019 by Matthew C. East
All rights reserved.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Common Questions

“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.’”

— Mary Anne Radmacher

Can I plan my day the evening before instead of in the morning?

Yes, you can. However, I highly recommend the morning because the rate of success is significantly higher. Trying to plan your day as a part of your evening routine doesn't work as well for a couple of reasons. Most notably, you're tired at the end of the day, which means you frequently end up not planning at all, or ineffectively. Also, evenings fill up with activities, so it's more challenging to find a sacred five to ten-minute window for planning in the evenings.

I have worked with a few clients who use the last fifteen minutes of the day at their office to plan the next day. But clients who do their planning as an early morning practice have the highest rate of success.

Is it expensive to use this method?

No, outside of the cost of this book, it costs nothing to use daily. 

Do I have to schedule my time on an electronic calendar?

No, use whatever type of calendar you want. I have clients who successfully use electronic calendars and clients who successfully use pen and paper.

The first few days of the 10-Day Challenge seem too easy. Can I skip ahead?

I strongly recommend against it. It's crucial to build momentum with some quick, easy wins. And the first few days of the challenge help you do that. Scheduling time for your top three priorities is a tremendous skill to build. And it's often more challenging than people expect.

Scheduling leisure time feels weird. Are you sure I schedule it?

Yes, I'm 100 percent sure. Please keep doing it; it will feel normal soon. It should help you feel more present during your leisure activities. You'll also find your leisure time to be less guilt-ridden.

I've worked with clients who found scheduling their leisure time to be a complete game-changer. One high-level executive began planning time every evening for reading on her back porch with a glass of wine. She told me that she had wanted to do that since buying her home nearly twenty years ago, but she had done it only a few times. However, after adding it to her Habit Layer a year ago, she hasn't missed a day unless she was out of town. By adding it to her calendar seven days a week, she feels like it gives her permission to relax and enjoy the moment. 

I use Getting Things Done (GTD) by David Allen. Can I also use The Purposeful Planning Method?

Yes, you can. GTD is a workflow management system, not a method for planning your day like The Purposeful Planning Method.

I use aspects of GTD every day. I recently interviewed David on one of my podcasts and was able to share with him how his advice about using your brain for thinking rather than remembering things has been life-changing for me. I make sure to get everything out of my head and down on paper or in Evernote, as he suggests. This single practice of not trying to retain information in my brain has been critical for me because I want to use my mind for thinking, not for trying to remember things. 

Some of my priorities have a ton of actionable tasks associated with them. How should I handle that?

It's most effective to use actionable tasks on your calendar whenever possible. However, I understand that's not always practical. An example of this for me is producing a podcast—this requires about twenty-five very small actionable tasks in a thirty-minute time block. In this instance, I block my calendar for thirty minutes to "Produce a Podcast," but I reference the actionable tasks on a saved note online. To reduce procrastination, it's critical to be very clear on the next actionable tasks and referencing them helps do this. Feel free to do this outside of your calendar if a priority requires a substantial number of tasks in a small window of time.

I procrastinate, how will The Purposeful Planning Method help me?

It's important to forgive yourself for procrastinating in the past. I realize this advice may sound strange, but research from top psychologists indicate procrastinating is not a time management issue. It's typically a response driven by negative emotions or fear. Research suggests: 

• Forgiving oneself for procrastinating on a given task is related to less procrastination on a similar task in the future.

• Self-forgiveness reduces procrastination by reducing negative emotions. [10]

If you've struggled with procrastinating, and that's led you to be frustrated or disappointed with your progress, those feelings are normal. You can't go back in time and change that now, but you can start fresh today. And that's going to be essential as you begin adopting this method. Take a few minutes to reflect on your past struggles with procrastination; then forgive yourself. Let's leave the past in the past and move forward with a clean slate. It's time to start fresh.

Having clarity about what and when you are going to take action on something will help end your procrastination. 

Should I prioritize my time on the weekend?

Absolutely. Priorities are areas of your life that are important and meaningful to you, and hopefully, your weekends are full of activities you find important and meaningful. Just like during the week, prioritizing on the weekend will help you focus on the projects, activities, and relationships that are most important and meaningful to you.

I'm a working mom with four kids. My mornings and evenings are crazy; can I still use The Purposeful Planning Method?

Absolutely. This approach to planning is perfect for you. Busy working moms use this method successfully every day. It will work for anyone who adopts it.

I missed a day of the Challenge. What should I do?

No problem. Pick up on the day that you didn't complete. Keep your head up, and dig back in. You can do it!

What if an emergency occurs during my day?

A true, unexpected emergency would reprioritize what's most important to you. Give the emergency the proper energy and attention it deserves.

Can I hire you to help me get started with The Purposeful Planning Method?

Yes; I do coach people one-on-one. However, I don't always have open coaching spots available. You can learn more about my coaching and availability at Matt-East.com.