Backwards Planning: organizing when life is at its busiest

Life can be busy. Right now it is really busy for my family. We are constantly rushing from one project to the next, one place to the next, and honestly, I find myself even rushing from one thought to the next.

When there isn’t much happening, I tend to go from project to project on a whim.  Unfortunately, that strategy has proved disastrous when busy times hit.

In order to keep everything running smoothly, I have had to resort to the most archaic of planning systems. Pencil and paper.

Just writing out today’s to-do list isn’t enough though, I need to make sure that the basics get done, so I have brought out my old system of reverse planning. This isn’t my own invention and I’m not sure who told me about it, but it works really well when life is at its craziest.

Here are the basics:

• Start at the end of your day. Bedtime is really important when there isn’t any breathing space, so I begin there.
• Work your way backward through time.  List everywhere you need to be and everything you need to do.
• Create a To Do Right Away list.  These are your action items that will make life run more smoothly.
• Choose what to let go. It is easy to make a list of stuff that needs to be done, but planning what to take action on now (and what to intentionally put off until later) is key to making it all happen.

So here is what it looks like in action

I know tomorrow’s schedule is jam packed and our day is going to run late, but I want to make the kids’ bedtime a priority.  That means that I need to pack up quickly after teaching art class and be on the road by 8:30PM at the latest.
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Art class runs from 6:30 until 8:00, but I need to arrive early to set up, so we need to be on our way there by 5:30.
To do right away: put art supplies and av equipment in trunk tonight.
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In order to not be rushed we need to be eating dinner early tonight, by 4:45 at the latest.  Dinner prep will need to be quick tonight.
To do right away: plan crockpot dinner.
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Co-op runs from 1:00 until 4:10.  The kids will need to have all of their supplies packed and ready to go.
To do right away: pack snacks, tiles for mosaic project, and costume for drama class tonight.
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In order to arrive to co-op on time we need to be on the road by 12:40, so lunch needs to be at 12:00 sharp and not require much clean-up.
To do right away: plan and pack lunch

Okay, I’ll stop now, but you get the idea. By working backwards I can figure out exactly what I need to do tonight to make tomorrow run more smoothly.

My list is easy to see.

• Pack art supplies and av equipment
• Plan crockpot dinner and lunch
• Pack snacks
• Put mosaics and costume in car

Ahh… I can accomplish all of those things in just a few minutes, and then go to bed tonight knowing that I am prepared.

I save a bit of sanity, and hopefully accomplish everything without being frazzled.  Take that you big ol’ mean to-do list!

Works for me!