Archive for Planning

Stepping Back to reflect is a key part of the planning process. It has its own step now.

GRWM: Stepping Back to Reflect

Posted by Carolyn on
 January 30, 2026
  ·  No Comments

Planning for Prosperity Is Now a 5-Step Process

Everyone else was stepping back to reflect. Maybe I ought to as well?

A question landed in my inbox recently:

“Do you actually use that entire four-step planning process yourself — for your business or your life?”

It’s a fair question. Because we all know people who teach systems they don’t actually use or follow their own process and advice. But for me? Yes, completely; and ironically, using my own process this year is exactly why it changed.

For five years, Planning for Prosperity had four steps: Stepping Out, Stepping Up, Stepping In, and Stepping Through. That worked beautifully. Until this year, when my own planning process was unexpectedly influenced by those around me.

tying ones shoelace is essential when running. that they come undone is part of the process.I Kept Bumping Into the Same Message: Reflect

During December and into January, I was working through my usual planning routine. Everywhere I turned — I mean everywhere — people were talking about spending more time reflecting. People I follow. My executive coach brother. Accounts I hadn’t paid attention to in a while. Even a workshop leader from one of my professional associations. All of them were emphasizing “Look back before you move forward.”

Now, I did have reflection in my process. But it lived inside what I called Stepping Out.  It wasn’t the star of the show and shared space with the task of creating a bold vision that took one out of one’s comfort zone.

This year with so many people telling me that stepping back to reflect deserved more time and attention,  I got curious. Instead of rushing past reflection so I could get to the “real” planning, I slowed down and gave it more room.

the inukshuk has a strong foundation.What I Noticed (And Didn’t Expect)

Let’s be honest — reflection is not always comfortable.

Looking at what didn’t work? Ugh.
Seeing where I played small? Also ugh.
Dreaming big enough to scare myself? Definitely out of my comfort zone.

But something shifted when I treated reflection as its own phase instead of a quick exercise to get through. My emotional reaction changed.

Instead of anxious, I felt curious.
>Instead of frustrated, I felt… surprisingly grateful.
>Instead of pressure, I felt grounded.

It stopped being “let’s review what went wrong” and became “ohhh… this is what I’m learning about myself.” Information learned from reflection on our past year informs our approach going forward.  The process needs the energy of your attention to pull out all the information you can garner. That information feeds into the rest of the planning. What to do more, or less of? What needs a different approach? The reflection process needs strength and depth to support the other four steps with concrete information.

stepping back and taking time for reflectionStep One Is Now “Stepping Back to Reflect”

Planning for Prosperity is now a five-step process, and it starts with Stepping Back. This step is about intentional reflection before planning forward. It creates awareness, emotional readiness, and clarity — not just a to-do list.

I was already using the exercise: What you wanted vs. what you got vs. how you contributed to that outcome. This is a powerful exercise that I love. It illuminates what was working and what wasn’t. The exercise spotlights one’s own behaviour – good back or indifferent – that contributed to that outcomes. It’s a fact-finding mission that produces insight and information.

With the reflection process taking the main stage in its own step, I added journaling prompts that took me deeper. For example:

  • What am I ready to leave behind?

  • What am I excited to carry forward?

  • When did I do hard things?

  • What actions actually moved the needle?

Those questions changed the tone of my planning. Instead of focusing on the gaps, I was looking at the gain. (Check out Dan Sullivan’s book The Gap and the Gain). I also started seeing evidence — resilience, growth, consistency, courage. From that place, visioning the year ahead felt energizing instead of forced. Once I had that clarity, the rest of the process felt more grounded and realistic.

Stepping Out — choosing goals that stretch me beyond what’s comfortable
Stepping Up — putting the real work, time, and money on the calendar, what is possible
Stepping In — managing the work by fine-tuning goals in focused 90-day blocks
Stepping Through — dealing with the fear, resistance, procrastination, and “gremlins” that always show up when we grow and evolve.

The structure is the same just better.

Why My Business Is Called Caldwell Evolution

As humans we are constantly evolving. That’s why my business is Caldwell Evolution – I’m here to support clients on their evolutionary journey. Our businesses evolve. Our tools should evolve too. This wasn’t a rebrand or a theory update. It came from sitting at my own desk, with my own plans, noticing what actually helped — and being willing to adjust.

Adding Stepping Back doesn’t slow the process down. It makes everything that follows more intentional, more sustainable, and honestly… a lot more helpful and therefore kinder.

And that’s a way better place to build a year from.

Planning Productivity
a journal, pen and coffee cup with coffee on an outdoor wood table in the sunshine Graphic of GRWM planning 2026 demonstrating the intention to plan the year.

GRWM: Planning for 2026

Posted by Carolyn on
 December 29, 2025
  ·  6 Comments

a journal, pen and coffee cup with coffee on an outdoor wood table in the sunshine Graphic of GRWM planning 2026 demonstrating the intention to plan the year.It’s planning season and time to plan for 2026 as the New Year looms on the horizon.

I’ve identified four steps to the planning process. While I primarily teach this as a business planning tool, it can be used for planning out any set of goals or dreams you might have. Loosing weight? Landscaping a yard? These for steps apply just as well.  Here we go.

Stepping Out – of your comfort zone

This first step has two parts each with its own function. Both require stepping out of your comfort zone and both will help with planning for 2026.

Part One

The process begins with a review of the previous year. This review not only helps to identify successes and challenges from the previous year, but all provides a stable platform from which to move forward.

Start by taking a piece of paper and dividing it into three columns. Title the first column “What I Wanted” and write down in this column the goals and achievements that you wanted for 2025. The second column is titled “What I Got”. In this column, beside the list of what you wanted, write down what you actually got. You may have achieved your goals or you may have supercharged them. Some of you may be disappointed with the results of some of your goals. Suspend judgement in this exercise and simply write the truth as you see it.

The third column is titled “How did I Contribute to this Result?”. What hard things did you do? Where did you hold back and play small? Here is the out of the comfort zone space for you. Suspend judgement and simply review and acknowledge what you wanted, what you got and how you contributed to the outcome, both positive and negative.

My clients often find this to be a very revealing exercise. In some cases, things didn’t happen because they simply failed to continue as a priority. In other cases, things happened because they worked consistently in the direction of their goals. Recognizing how we contribute to success provides us with tools to move forward into planning 2026.

There may be things you choose to leave behind in 2025. Not everything undone needs to move forward. Leave behind what no longer serves your purposes.

You now have a stable platform from which to work moving forward.

Part Twowhite coffee cup that says begin, sometimes this is the hardest part of decluttering or planning

The second part is a visioning exercise.  I call it the view from the top of the mountain. Other coaches have different names for it but the process is the same. Some call it magic wand thinking!

Close your eyes and imagine yourself one year from now at the close of 2026. What goals have you achieved. What are you doing? Who is with your? How are you feeling? What can you do now that your goals have been achieved? What else did you accomplish? Imagine the tastes, smells, sights, sounds that are all around you now that you have accomplished your goals. Make this vision as vibrant and as detailed as possible.

The world of high performance sport and the research in neuroscience that has followed, has revealed that your brain can’t tell the difference between what you imagined you did and what you actually did. If you imagine yourself getting up and running 5 am each morning for 28 days straight, then when you actually do get up at 5 am and go running, your brain is convinced this is something it has done before. Rather than feeling fear or conflict, if feels familiarity and comfort.

Once you are really clear on what the end of 2026 looks, feels, tastes, smells like, turn around and look back towards the beginning of the year. Look at the path that has brought you to the top of the mountain. What did you accomplish and when? What did you do halfway through the year? A quarter of the way? Three- quarters of the way?

person's feet in black running shoes taking step on stairs. Showing the idea of stepping up.

Stepping Up – to identify the work that needs to be done

This second step requires stepping up to the real work that would need to be done if you are to accomplish your goals. Pull out a calendar. When would the work happen? What else do you have on your plate? Do you have other commitments that might impede your progress? What things might you have to let go? Stepping up includes creating a financial plan for your goals. Match up your financial resources with your calendar so that the funds you need are available when you need them. If you are planning for your business, map out what income and expenses will happen in each month.

Stepping In – to create a plan

calendar open to days of week with blue and orange marker sitting on top, organized time and planning

The third step is where the detailed planning takes place. While its title is “Stepping In”, I like to think of it as “leaning into” the work.  In the Twelve Week Year, Moran and Lennington identify that most people work best with 90-day deadlines. Conveniently that creates three-month time frames. With a clear and detailed vision in your mind for the end of the year, what will you have accomplished at the 3, 6, 9 month markers of the year? Create a detailed plan for the first 90 days. Each subsequent 90 day block is less detailed. You will have a chance to review and revise at the end of each 90 day block for the next three months.

Stepping Through – the gremlins that stand in our way and try and pull us down

woman in brown sweater and scarf sitting on log an looking out over body of water. Showing quiet and thoughtfulness

While planning for 2026 to be successful is essential, equally important is to planning for the gremlins. They will show up. I’ve identified four key gremlins that tend to show up consistently for my clients. They include Fear of Criticism, Fear of Failure, Dislike of a Task, and Impatience. I’ve created a cheat sheet with tricks to conquer all four of the gremlins. Click here for your free copy.

Planning for 2026 success will include a plan for the gremlins. Put this in place a head of time and you are armed for when they show up. You won’t be surprised – you will be prepared. Preparation matched with planning leads to success.

 

Mindfully I AM Evolving Coaching Planning
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full coffee cup, note book with goals 2025 written and 1, 2, 3 plus white pen on green background

Planning for Success and the Dichotomy of Control

Posted by Carolyn on
 January 7, 2025
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full coffee cup, note book with goals 2025 written and 1, 2, 3 plus white pen on green background showing planningIs there any point in planning for success or for the year ahead?

For those of us in the productivity and organizing field the answer is very simple.

Yes. If you plan your work, activities, schedule, career, day or anything for that matter, you are far more likely to be available when opportunity appears.  I’ve blogged before about the planning and luck relationship. However, you are also more likely to be equipped to respond to adversity when it show up.

But sometime external circumstances can make planning feel futile. What about the uncertainty of the world we live in today as 2025  greets us? What about the political turmoil around the world we read about every day? Add to that the economic uncertainty that both those situations create and planning feels like a lost cause.

The Dichotomy of Control

It is true that most of us don’t have any control over what is happening politically on the other side of the world. While we may have reason to worry and be concerned about it, we don’t have any control over it.

However, the dichotomy of control reminds us that there are many things over which we DO have control. The concept is a very old one dating from the Roman Stoic Epictetus. According to the Stoics, there were really only two things we had direct control over. They are our actions and what or how we think about things. The past, what other people think or do, and even our bodily sensations (versus voluntary actions) are in fact outside our control.

grey desk chair in from to small white desk with the title "Preparation & Success" and Confucius quote "success depends upon previous preparation and without such preparation there is sure to be failure"Planning and Control

It is the things within our control that we can use to plan for success. There are four steps needed to create a plan for the year and they all include elements within our control.

Step 1

Step OUTSIDE of our comfort zone. This is where learning and expansion occurs. This is where were take a risk to create a new lead magnet, try a new exercise routine or commit to an accountability partner. Actions here include creation of a vision and overall goals for the year.

Step 2

Step UP to figure out the real work. What actually needs to be done to accomplish your goal? Who would you need to become to make it a reality?  Actions here might include figuring out how many days a week you can work or work out. Do you have the time to train for a marathon and support for the rest of your life while you are training?

Step 3

Step IN to create a map or menu of actions to turn your vision into a reality. What are the outcome goals for each quarter, month and week that you would have to attain? Outcome goals are the markers along our path that tell us whether or not we are heading in the direction of our larger vision. What are the process goals – the specific actions you would take – to accomplish those outcome goals? If you are looking for 1000 followers on YouTube for your business, how often do you need to post to get that result? How big a calorie deficit do you need, and how will you ensure that happens, to lose that 10 lbs?

Step 4

Step THROUGH the fog that gremlins of self doubt, fear, procrastination create when they show up. What tools that you can access easily, consistently and quickly when you are discouraged frustrated or putting off trying to post that lead magnet?

woman raising arms in success at tope of hill. both the journey and destination are important.Planning for Success

The Stoics believe “We need to focus on “controlling the controllables” and cultivate an attitude of detachment from everything else”. When we focus on what we can control, which includes all four steps of the planning process, we set ourselves up for success. This focus together with equipping ourselves with strategies and tactics to manage our response to those things outside of our control, is planning for success.

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orange/red full moon over leaves of forest or garden

Summer Solstice and Full Moon

Posted by Carolyn on
 July 8, 2024
  ·  No Comments

orange/red full moon over leaves of forest or gardenWith both the Summer Solstice and a Full Moon, the last weeks of spring promise renewal. The beginning of summer is a time for Mother Nature to bring rebirth to her garden.Try these three easy tips to help you take advantage of that renewal energy.

Evaluating Before Summer

Tip 1

For some people, the Summer Solstice marks the midpoint of the calendar year. This is an excellent time to reflect on what’s working, what’s not and how far have you come to the goals to which you strive for the year.

For others, the end of June marks the close of a fiscal year end. Evaluating what has worked and what has not for your business will help set you up for success during the next fiscal year.

hands cupped as in a bowl, holding ripe, red strawberries

Setting Intentions

Tip 2

This is a great time to set an intention for your own renewal. What do you bring to this auspicious time of year – the transition from spring into summer? What would you like to accomplish while the weather is warm, the days are long and the garden is plentiful?  For the jam makers and berry lovers, in the northern hemisphere Summer Solstice and the Strawberry Full Moon heralds the ripening of strawberries. For many this reminds them that eating fresh from the garden is often still available via farmers markets and self pick market gardens.

Tracking Intentions

Tip 3

two hands, right hand writing in goal tracking journalTracking your progress on intentions is equally important to setting them. We are often so grateful for a relaxed summer atmosphere that we forget we had intentions for healthier eating, more exercise, increased sales calls – or whatever your mid calendar goals might be. Setting up a weekly tracking system will help you stay on track. Is weekly too often? No. Tracking in small increments makes it easier to keep track and stay on track. It helps to keep your goals top of mind from week to week so that success is more likely. And if things are working to head you in the direction of your goals, it is easier to make a shift, tweak or full pivot to the right direction.

Summer Solstice and the Strawberry full moon provide an excellent opportunity for a check-in, have way through the year. Use these three tips of reflection, setting intentions and tracking progress to get and keep you on track. Make this year your best ever.

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orange sunflowers in blue vase showing calendar to July. show time to plan the second half of 2024

The Power of Process and Outcome Goals

Posted by Carolyn on
 May 15, 2024
  ·  No Comments

orange sunflowers in blue vase showing calendar to July. show time to plan the second half of 2024. time to evaluate progress on our goalsCreating both process and outcome goals for your business can take energy and time. You will be glad you did and here is why.

Introduction

When it comes to planning for our business, many of us focus on the end result – the outcome we want to achieve; the destination to which we are headed. But what about the journey itself? The steps we take to get there? That’s where process goals come in. In this post, we’ll explore the difference between process and outcome goals, and why both are crucial for a successful plan and achieving success.

Outcome Goals

Outcome goals are the specific, measurable results we want to achieve. They’re the destinations we’re heading towards. Examples of include:

  • Increasing sales by 20% in the next quarter
  • Landing a major client
  • Publishing a book

Outcome goals give us direction and motivation. They help us stay focused on what we want to achieve and give us a sense of accomplishment when we reach them.

Process Goals

woman reading map. process goals are like a map to our outcome goals.

Process goals, on the other hand, are the actions we take to achieve our outcome goals. They’re the steps we need to take to get to our destination. Examples include:

  • Spending 2 hours each day prospecting for new clients
  • Writing 500 words each day to meet a book deadline
  • Implementing a new marketing strategy to increase sales

Process goals help us stay on track and make progress towards our outcome goals. They give us a sense of control and agency, and help us develop new skills and habits.

Why Both are Important

So, why do we need both process and outcome goals? Here are a few reasons:

  1. Outcome goals give us direction, but don’t define the task to get there.
  2. Process goals give us momentum. Without them, we can get stuck in analysis paralysis or procrastination.
  3. Process goals help us take action and make progress.
  4. Process goals help us develop new skills and habits: By focusing on the actions we need to take, we can develop new skills and habits that help us achieve our outcome goals.
  5. Outcome goals can be outside of our control, but process goals are within our control: Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we can’t control the result. But we can always control the actions we take to get there.

Conclusionwoman raising arms in success at tope of hill. both the journey and destination are important.

In conclusion, accomplishing our goals and a successful plan requires focussing on both the journey and the destination. Knowing our destination gives us direction and motivation. Enjoying and focussing on the journey helps us take action and make progress. By setting both types of goals, we can stay focused, motivated, and in control of our journey to success. Remember, it’s not just about the destination – it’s about the journey itself.

 

Planning Productivity
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view of setting sun over leeward deck of sailing yacht.

Take a Break

Posted by Carolyn on
 January 18, 2024
  ·  No Comments

Sail boat in choppy waters facing sunsetWhen Life throws us rough waters, we may need to step away or take a break from our business for a short time. An annual plan can support you to get back on course faster and easier.

Life’s Hiccups

They say that Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.

It might be events over which you have no control. Or the consequences of something you did or decided days, weeks or months ago.

Maybe you aren’t getting the business results you had hoped for and you don’t know why.

Perhaps the weather has you down or a relationship or loved one needs your attention.

Or, as I sometimes say, “The moon may simply be sitting on the wrong side of the sky today”.

Regardless of the reason, when Life turns calm waters to rough, we have to respond.

Take a Breaktwo stones in sand with curves in sand around them

Stepping away or stepping back may be the best solution. Rough waters may mean a timing change or detour from your plan. If the original plan didn’t work out, stepping back to reassess can provide insight.

When an expected result shows up, slowing things down to check your assumptions can lead to a better decision and better result the next time.

If and when you are tired, anxious or find yourself not eating or sleeping well, taking a step back may provide your body and mind a rest it needs. Taking a short break gives you time to refresh. You will return able to make better decisions and more resilient to challenges.

Have a Plan

When you have an annual plan, coming back after a short break goes smoother. Recovery is faster.

When the seas get rough, don’t change the goal, change the strategy.

A good annual plan has a four steps to help you step out of your comfort zone, step up to the work, step in to the tasks and step through the inevitable challenges.

Ship's compass with calm waters to get back on course.Step one is a compelling vision that keeps you focussed and reminds you of why you are pursuing goals in the first place. Next the plan needs a break down of the year to show where the revenue opportunities sit and where the expense obligations lie. Step three is a set of detailed process and outcome goals by quarter and month to identify what work needs to be done and when. Final step is a set of tools to which you can resort when the procrastination, perfectionist, and fear of failure – or success – gremlins show up.

With this four step plan in place returning from a break will keep you focussed on your compelling vision and why it is important. The goals don’t change; the timing may need to be adjusted. It’s easier to get back on course even if a detour or delay was necessary.

Taking a break is sometimes the smartest solution when life churns the seas and unexpected challenges show up. With a solid plan getting back on track is faster and easier.

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green journal book, key board rose and computer mouse on white desk top to show an organized desk

4 Steps to Planning a Prosperous Year

Posted by Carolyn on
 January 7, 2024
  ·  No Comments

green journal book, key board rose and computer mouse on white desk topSetting up for a prosperous year can be an exciting task. You are at the beginning of another new year and planning is on the brain. Setting up New Year’s resolutions? Have a project you want to accomplish? Is there a particular goal that you are committed to? Or, like my mentoring clients, are you setting up a plan for your business for the coming year?

Ensuring yours is a prosperous year, takes time and a process. Here is a 4-step process from my Planning for Prosperity course that will help you accomplish your goals and projects.

1. Step Out – Of Your Comfort Zone

A prosperous year starts with a compelling vision. A compelling vision keeps you motivated when the going gets tough. It keeps the taste and benefits of success front and centre while you are working through the hard parts of a project or the ups and downs of reaching a goal.  Ask yourself the following questions:

  • Does your project take you out of your comfort zone?
  • What would be the benefit to you of completing the project, task or goals for your year?
  • What will you be able to do when your goal is accomplished?

2. Step Up – To What You have to Do and Whom You must Becomeperson's feet in black running shoes taking step on stairs

For a prosperous year to materialize, we have to be really clear what we have to do and when to do it. In this step, identify exactly when in the year the project or goal activity will take place. Clarify the months, weeks and portion of any day where the activity for this goal or project will take place. This helps you understand what is realistic and what is a “pie in the sky” dream.

Frequently, this is a big “Ah ha” moment for my clients. At this point they realize their income goal is realistic when they can only work billable hours during 42 weeks of the year.

Ask yourself the following questions:

  • Where in your calendar will this happen.
  • How much of each day will I have to earn income, go to the gym or work on my book?
  • How many days a year?
  • How many weeks a year?
  • How many clients are required to earn the income in your goal?

3. Step In – To Identify the Work to be Donecalendar open to days of week with blue and orange market sitting on top.

This step identifies the real clarity of work to be done for your prosperous year. Regardless of your goal or project, what are the milestone accomplishments that you will target? I am a strong advocate for the 12 Week Year by Brian F. Moran and Michael Lemmington. Breaking the goals or project into check in points helps you to see your progress. It also reminds us that each goals or project is best accomplished when broken into steps.

If working on an annual goal, break the year into four, 12 week or 84 day sprints with a 13th week to evaluate your progress and set the next 12 week goals. To help with Step 3, ask yourself these questions:

  • How will I know when the goal or project is accomplished and when?
  • What does one quarter look like?
  • What does one half look like?
  • What does three quarters look like?
  • What metrics will I use to track my progress?

4. Step Through – The Challenges that Hamper Successwoman raising arms in success at tope of hill

A prosperous year is not without its challenges. It’s not a question of IF procrastination, perfectionism, and fear will show up but WHEN. Life will show up and through unpredictable barriers in our way. Having a toolbox of tips and tricks that you KNOW will work for you, will strengthen you ability to accomplish your goals and see your project through to completion.

Ask yourself these questions to help you Step Through life’s challenges:

  • What works for me when fear of failure shows up?
  • Is my vision or image of success compelling enough to keep me motivated?
  • How will I handle criticism from people who don’t share my goals, ambitions, dreams or even understand how important my project is?
  • Is perfectionism standing in my way of success?
  • Can I actually get this goal or project done? Are the pieces or steps small enough?

How you define your prosperous year is up to you. These four steps will help you get and stay motivated, get clarity on the work to be done, what needs to be done and who you have to become to do it. Finally, give yourself some tips and tricks and strategies for when those curve balls get thrown our way.

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waves on beach, writing happy birthday to Caldwell Evolution

Yearly Planning with Micro Tasks

Posted by Carolyn on
 July 6, 2023
  ·  No Comments

A New Fiscal Yearwaves on beach, writing happy birthday to Caldwell Evolution

July 1 is the beginning of a new fiscal year for Caldwell Evolution and yearly planning is on the calendar. Micro tasks have come to my rescue again. Yearly planning can be fun, however it can also be overwhelming. Using micro tasks and a dedicated planning process, I was able to get through the process, and get excited for the year, without feelings of overwhelm bogging me down. The process I use is very effective and when paired with micro task strategy, it also be very powerful.

The Yearly Planning Process

The yearly planning process for me involves a review of goals and achievements from the past year, analysis of what worked and what didn’t, setting goals for the following year and some KPI’s (key performance indicators) to go with them. The process I use comes from a coaching program in which I invested during the covid-19 pandemic. I learned a 3 step process from Fabienne Fredrickson, founder of Boldheart.

The process works well if documented on a three column table. Take a piece of paper and divide into three vertical columns. At the top of column one write the title “What I Wanted”. For column two write “What I Got”. Finally, at the top of column three write ‘The Gap, The Lesson”

Step One: What Did YouWant/Desire?Three columns on a piece of white lined paper marked what I wanted, what I got and what is the Gap or Lesson.

Step One is carefully listing what you had wanted for the year. (I am assuming you are also using this for yearly planning. If not, use whatever time frame within which you are planning.) When planning for the previous year, what were you hoping or expecting to attain during the year.  No judgement, just list each item on your table in the first column to the left.

Step Two: What Did You Get?

In the second column, titled “What I Got”, write down beside items in column one what actually happened by the end of the year. Did you expect $100,000 in revenue? What did you actually achieve? Were you hoping to travel to a hot vacation location? Did you travel? Again, no judgement; at this point just write the facts. Column two is the first of two reality checks. Be honest.

Step Three: What is the Gap/What is the Lesson?

In the third column, beside the items in column one and two, write the difference between what you wanted and what you got. In addition, what did you learn from that difference (gap)? What was the lesson? You may have achieved or received more than you wanted or desired. Or you may have achieved less.  In both there is something to be learned about what you did to make it happen or what you did that prevented your goal from being achieved. This is your second reality check. Look at the habits or behaviours or things you did, in other words had control over, that made the desired achievement happen, or not happen. The high performance athletes review this as “How did I control the controllables to set myself up for success?”

Using Micro Tasks

This is where I find the micro tasks most helpful. Writing all that down can get tedious for me. It takes some brain power, thoughtfulness and time. If I am not careful, the process doesn’t actually get finished and I never fully commit to the key performance indicators. By breaking each step down, I completed not only this tedious part of yearly planning, but the entire yearly planning process over the course of a week.  Breaking down into micro tasks meant using really short work sprints.

Micro tasks can be as small as 5 minutes. For this task, I worked in 20-30 minute sprints. Because I had written goals for fiscal year 2023, I simply logged those in column one. That was one task. Column two took a bit more work since I had to review what was actually achieved over the year. That took a couple of time sprints. Finally, column three is more about analysis. Those I tackled one item at a time and gave myself permission to get up and do something else in between items.

With the columns filled, my next task was to identify what I want to achieve in fiscal year 2024, what success would look like and what the key performance indicators would be. Again, I broke the process into small tasks by tackling each desired achievement as a separate task.

The Result

One of the benefits of working with micro tasks is the built in reinforcement the strategy offers. When each task is completed, your brain registers an accomplishment and with it, all the lovely positive chemicals that go with that. Accomplishments don’t have to be huge. They can be small.  Using micro tasks to avoid feelings of overwhelm, creates more accomplishments.

Are we fooling our brains? Maybe, however, sometimes that’s exactly what has to happen to get through a bigger project. Breaking a big project into a series of micro tasks can be a game. Each step completed is worthy of a celebration, check in a task list, high five and a cheer. String together those micro tasks and the project is done.

Yearly planning? Check.

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