The 5 stages of planning

You've heard the expression, "Man plans, God laughs," right?

I'm a devoted planner nevertheless, and have come up with what I think are the five stages I go through when trying to tackle a project.

1. Optimism


2. Collaboration (sometimes used as procrastination)


3. Decision (or indecision)


4. Action (or inaction)


5. Frustration (also known as panic)

Am I missing a stage? Are you a planner?

Comments

[April]

Without a list, I am lost and without a plan, I'm not doing it. I have to have organization in my life. Everything has a place, the place must be cleaned and if that thing has to be moved, I need a plan. I think it is good to be organized and a planner for kids. They like to know what to expect next ya know? I do. *laugh* Anne Marie and I have much in common in this department. Not only are my vacations planned years in advance but my budget is too. My husband doesn't like the budget but he likes it when something unexpected happens and we have the money to cover it without something else suffering lol.

[Anne-Marie]

I'm a planner from a family of planners married to a last minute planner. And it drives me nuts.

To give you an example of how much planning us (former) Barnett women do, my sister has already planned her Christmas vacation, gotten her plane tix, and made her hotel reservations.

But I should talk. We're going to a rockabilly music festival next April in Green Bay and I already have my hotel reservations at two different hotels.

I'm also quite the list maker, believe in Worse Case Scenerios and have dreams about my plans. I really think I need anti-anxiety meds some of the time.

[Jules]

I love to make the plans and the lists but my follow through is poor and my panic too huge! LOL

[Rachel Ann]

I'm nore;

Write down a schedule.
Loose schedule
Panic.

Or a
Plan to make a schedule
forget to make a schedule
Panic.

type.

I guess that makes me a non-planner, or at least an incrediably bad planner.

I like how you start with optimism though.

[emily]

I do not plan,much to the dispair of my husband.I wing it.

[Tiff]

I don't make plans because they never work out. They worked out fine before kids but now it's hopeless. :)

[Angie]

I am more of a flexible person. I plan things sort of and then just kind of see how things unfold. I like to have the freedom to change my plans if needed. I am pretty disorganized, but it works for me.