Each year, between Christmas and New Years, I engage in an annual planning process. Many of the elements you’re already now familiar with. Some suggestions - again, make it your own:
I like to start the process by reflecting on what was accomplished in the previous year. This is primarily about gratitude and perspective.
Think back to January and ask yourself what has changed for the better. Focus primarily on progress rather than perceived failures. It’s okay if you didn’t hit all of your goals if you did set them. If you did, it’s usually a sign that your goals were too easy. I try to use the 70% benchmark from John Doerr.
Just like with our other review processes, reconnecting with our values and visions before planning is super helpful. Like the quarterly cadence, I give myself permission to tweak my 10 year vision and/or 3 year vision plans if necessary. This is also the one time of year I allow myself to consider my values - if they still speak to me, etc. I look at the things I do and don’t do, and explore any areas of my character I’d like to work on.
Look back at your list of values and ask yourself what would be a scene that reflects those values? Some examples I wrote down:
Look at your 10 year vision and 3 year vision and create your next set of 1 year vision plans. Create a project plan for each that is a project. Create a habit plan for each implicit habit.
Ask yourself what your ideal workday looks like. Your ideal weekend. Your ideal month. Your ideal season. Try to visualize it as vividly and realistically as possible. To the degree you identify areas for improvement, write those down.
Armed with all of this information, build your calendar for the year. Plan out your ideal work day, your ideal weekend. Block out when you’ll take major trips. Block out tentative dates for time-based events. Block out habits.
For projects, go back into your vision plans and attempt to slot those into months, factoring in how long those projects will take, how many major initiatives you can realistically move forward at one time, and the natural rhythms you’re trying to cultivate. If you want December to be a period where you prioritize family, don’t plan on moving on major work projects. If you have a fundraising or sales goal at work and you know folks are checked out in certain months or know when their annual budgeting process happens, work backwards into the necessary activities to move those goals forward.
Pre-booking yourself accomplishes a couple of things. It makes sure you’ve allocated the necessary time to make your goals happen. Second, it can make you excited about the year. I’ve found that for experiences, the anticipation often brings as much joy as the event itself. By booking that trip in July or blocking out that camping trip in September, I have months to visualize it and look forward to it.
Finally, it is another example of making it real. It turns your goals into concrete plans. You know when you’ll be working on what, when. You avoid signing yourself up for too much at any given time.