Best Laid Plans

BLP Ep #244: 10 Benefits of Planning That Have Nothing to Do With Productivity

March 31, 2025

Some might think the purpose of planning is to get more done. That may be true in some cases, but there is so much more to the story than that. In this episode, I discuss 10 benefits of planning that have nothing to do from productivity, from stress reduction to anticipation to creativity to having more fun.

Other news:

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PS: Tomorrow is April. I cannot tell you how excited I am to turn the page to a new month. I need some “day 1” magic.

3 Comments

  • Reply Yukun Wu March 31, 2025 at 11:16 am

    Just when I was planning to write a summary of the 10 benefits in this episode in my comment, Dr. Sarah Hart-Unger, I found out—gladly—that you’ve already done this summary in the last 2 minutes of this episode.
    I don’t think I have further benefits of planning to offer. To offer the benefits of planning, I must actually do planning first, and the only type of planning that I do right now is weekly plannings on Fridays.
    The new book that you wrote, Dr. Sarah Hart-Unger, has already been sent to be published, so you cannot put the 10 benefits in this episode into the book. But I think you’ll find other things that you’ll write in the future where you can fit in the 10 benefits in this episode.

    • Reply Yukun Wu April 2, 2025 at 12:09 am

      I also listened to episode #400 of the BOBW podcast today, Dr. Sarah Hart-Unger. I do hope for a happy birthday for BOBW. And I can see the memories this podcast preserves.
      I do think that there’ll likely be an episode 800. I do know podcasts that have reached episode 800, by the way.
      I don’t think I have a favorite episode. Nor do I think I have a least favorite episode.
      I won’t suggest ideas for future episodes today, as I have no idea how many additional hundreds of words I’ll cram into this comment if I do.
      Since deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task, we can evaluate whether or not I do deep work. I’ll discuss it further with Ms. Laura Vanderkam.
      It’s actually true that my work environment also has relatively few back-and-forths throughout the day.
      My summary of the strategies: A). Being strategic with exercise; B). Just because one can doesn’t mean one should; C). Get daycare if necessary; D). Stop with the housework; E). No, the contractor cannot come in the 9 a.m. to noon window.
      I can certainly see how it makes sense that you get the exercises done well before the start of normal work hours, Dr. Sarah Hart-Unger.
      I don’t think I’ll start a podcast in any foreseeable future. But I do know that when I do a presentation, my heart rate very often goes up. So I actually would like to know if you can do any presentations this year, Dr. Sarah Hart-Unger.
      And yes, I do prefer not to do housework if my real intention is to avoid that other task at hand.

  • Reply rachelinwales April 1, 2025 at 1:24 am

    This was a nice episode Sarah. Often feel judged for my plan-y tendencies because people think I’m trying to “get lots done”. My in laws (definitely not planners) often comment “oh do you have 35 minutes to relax now? Do you plan 12 minutes of you time?” but my partner and I have four kids and two jobs and hobbies and friends and home cooked meals and none of that would happen without planning. I don’t feel I have clear mind creativity yet – definitely an aspiration – but it was so nice to hear you talk about that and a good reminder to try and close more loops (or at least identify open loops better!)

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