Picture this: You have a 5-year-old and a 3-year-old that you need to get ready for school every morning. Your goal is to leave the house by 8:00 am.
Sounds simple, right? You might think, “I’ll wake up at 7:00 am, that should give me a whole hour to get ready - plenty of time”.
Usually doesn’t end well. Let’s try employing the simple methodology of “forwards thinking - backwards planning”.
Forwards Thinking - Backwards Planning Link to heading
The “forwards thinking - backwards planning” strategy is a way to plan your time more effectively by starting at your end goal and working backwards, accounting for potential obstacles. Here’s a simplified version of how it works:
Identify your ultimate goal: In this case, it is to leave the house by 8:00 am. This is your endpoint.
Estimate time for each task: Think about each task that needs to be done before you leave - waking up the kids, getting dressed, breakfast etc. and estimate how long each will take. Don’t forget to consider potential hiccups that could delay you.
Work backwards from your endpoint: Start from 8:00 am (your goal) and subtract the time each task will take from it.
Adjust as necessary: If you find that you’ve run out of time before you’ve accounted for all tasks, adjust your wake-up time or expected time to leave accordingly.
The idea here is not to create a minute-by-minute schedule, but rather to give yourself a rough estimate of when certain milestones should be hit in order to reach your ultimate goal on time. It’s about understanding the order of operations and giving yourself enough buffer for unexpected delays or interruptions.
Example of a Herculean Task Link to heading
Here is how an example plan would look in my mind. Broken down in 10 minute intervals for easy mental math:
- 8:00 am: Leave the house (ultimate goal)
- 7:50 am: Getting everyone out of the house and strapped into the car should take 5 minutes, 10 if they resist
- 7:40 am: Everyone should be fully dressed, with bags packed. This might take 10 minutes.
- 7:30 am: Teeth brushing is done by now, which on a good day takes 5 minutes, but let’s add another 5 for unexpected tantrums.
- 7:20 am: Breakfast should be finished. Eating can take around 10 minutes, but let’s add another 10 for potential food-related issues.
- 7:00 am: Breakfast is served. Preparing it might take around 10 minutes.
- 6:50 am: Kids should be out of bed by this time. Waking them up and getting them out of bed can take around 10 minutes.
- 6:40 am: Wake up. You need about 10 minutes to get ready before waking the kids.
Oh, I should set my alarm to 6:40 instead of 7:00. 20 minutes less sleep for a more enjoyable morning.
In the Professional Context Link to heading
Forwards thinking - backwards planning is a simple yet effective strategy to manage your time better. It not only helps you plan your morning routine but also can be applied in numerous other situations like project management, event planning, or even in setting long-term personal goals.
In the context of project management, for example, let’s say you have a project due in 6 months. If you start planning from today and move forward, you may underestimate the time it takes to complete certain tasks and overestimate your ability to get them done promptly. But if you start with the due date and work backwards, factoring in all tasks and potential obstacles, you will have a more realistic schedule that leaves room for unforeseen delays.
The beauty of this strategy is that it forces you to take into consideration every task involved in reaching your goal. It prompts you to think about what could possibly go wrong and plan for it accordingly.
A note on Risk Link to heading
An important thing to note is that the longer the period of time you’re planning for, the more risk and uncertainty will be involved. Let’s take the example of a long-term personal goal like starting a business. There are so many factors that could potentially derail your plans - market changes, personal circumstances, financial issues etc. Therefore, it is crucial to continuously revise and adjust your plan as you move forward.
This brings us to an insightful quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower: “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable”. The core idea here is that while our initial plans may not always work out exactly as we envision, the process of planning is invaluable as it prepares us for potential roadblocks and gives us a sense of direction.
Conclusion Link to heading
In conclusion, “forwards thinking - backwards planning” can be a game-changer in how you manage your time and tasks. It encourages proactivity rather than reactivity and allows you to better anticipate challenges before they arise.
Whether you’re a busy parent trying to juggle morning routines or a project manager with deadlines looming, give this strategy a try and see how it can streamline your daily life and help you reach your goals more effectively.
Remember, success lies in your ability to foresee potential obstacles and being prepared to overcome them - plan backwards from your goal but think forwards towards its attainment!