4 Steps to Planning the Year

by Lydia Floren

I am a planner.  Not in the “control freak” kind of way, just in the wanting-to-be-intentional-about- life way.  So, the new year is an important time for me.  Toward the end of the year, I start to think about where I have been, where I am going, and how best to get there.  In January, I typically set aside a day or two to review and  make some specific plans for the coming year.  What does that look like for me?  Well, it is different every year. Some years I am more detailed, others I just sketch out a more general framework. But my planning process always seems to involve these four steps:

Four Steps to Planning the Year:

1. Reflect
2. Review
3. Refocus
4. Revise

Reflection:

• What happened in the last year?  Events? Relationships? Commitments? Life situations?
• How have I seen God working in these things?
• How have I grown? What have I learned?

Review:

• What were my goals/priorities/commitments from last year?
  • Life goal:
  • Other goals:
  • Priorities:
  • Permanent commitments:
• How has my time spent in the last year, aligned with my life goals, priorities, commitments?

Refocus:

• Ask God, “What is Your perspective of what has happened in the last year?”
• Are there any goals/priorities/commitments I need to change  or moving forward?
• Are there specific plans that need to be revised? Ditched? Formulated?

Revise:

• What do I see as the best strategy to achieve my goals in the coming year?  In two years? In 5 years?
• How does that translate into how I use my time on a daily/weekly/monthly basis?
• What will help me to keep my life aligned with these goals/plans?

During this process, I continue to pray and seek God’s guidance, insight, and wisdom in each of these steps.  And, at the end, I just give my new plans and schedule to God, and ask Him to show me what revisions need to be made.

What is your approach to planning?