Planning Ahead for the Week as Learned from Off Balance

It is time to plan for next week!  Are you going to get all your important stuff done next week?

I have been implementing a system taught by Matthew Kelly in his book Off Balance - Getting Beyond the Work-Life Balance Myth to Personal and Professional Satisfaction. It is a 5 step process.  Now I am in step 4, Weekly Strategy Session.  In my own words, Weekly Strategy Session is intentionally planning ahead to next week.  What do I mean by intentional?  I use what I know from previous steps:

1. I know specific areas that need attention to increase satisfaction - Step 1.
2. I know my priorities - Step 2.
3. I know what core habits I want to cultivate - Step 3.

Therefore, I can formulate a typical "to do list" with a difference - I can make better choices.  Here are some examples to illustrate what I mean:  

I have some time sensitive projects:

• Clients' compilations
• Preparation for small group
• Blog posts

And some important items that need to be done:

• Help Ryan with domain name issues
• Mulching
• Self study training to grow professional skill-set

And some appointments:

• Church on Sunday - new time for summer
• Get Ryan and Grace to youth group events
• Extended family graduation open houses

These are all consistent with 1, 2, and 3 above.  Other potential items did not make the list such as mountain biking in southern Indiana and others' open houses.

So, now I am ready to plug them into my calendar.  I know I am a morning person.  Accordingly, I will do well to plan to do the heavy duty stuff first thing, instead of piddling around checking e-mails.

• Friday, June 1, 6:30pm - host small group.  Preparation already done.
• Saturday, June 2 - morning coffee with Darling Bride.  Mulch after breakfast.
• Sunday, June 3 - Church on Sunday!  Confirm youth choir rehearsal for youngest son (4pm).  Write blog post about educational value of mulching to post at Do It Yourself High School blog.
• Monday, June 4, office - Clients' compilations first thing BEFORE non-essential e-mails and self study training.
• Monday evening, home - outdoors activity, help Ryan with domain name issues.
• Tuesday, June 5, office through Friday - same as Monday, but more flexibility in handling unexpected items (putting out fires, new assignments...)
• Tuesday evening - outdoors activity
• Wednesday evening - Ryan and Grace to youth group, 1st meeting of summer (I forgot about this one until I proofread this post!).  Good time to work on next series of blog posts.
• Thursday evening - Grocery shopping if not already done
• Friday evening - Ryan to youth group event
• Saturday, June 9 - Graduation open house
• Sunday, June 10 - Next Weekly Strategy Session
• Lunch hours - work on blog posts, read others' blogs.

Typically, only 7 days would be planned out, but this week I'm getting a head start.

The final step is Quarterly Review, just like performance reviews at work, except I review myself.  Matthew Kelly emphasizes accountability (he says on page 135, "Accountability brings out the best in me.")  And I agree.  It is one thing to make a promise to myself.  I am very forgiving of my shortcomings.  Another thing to be accountable on a blog.  Google Analytics and Feed Burner tell me you are out there, whoever you are.  Thank you!  

Still another to have coffee with Darling Bride in a few months, around Labor Day weekend, and show her.  But you read it here first, it is on my calendar for discussion during a quite time over the long weekend!

Conclusion:  I am glad I found this book at the library.  Its primary strength is that it is a short book with specific steps to implement.  

As previously written, I am not affiliated with or being compensated in any way for writing about this book.  This is all on my own initiative.