Most perfectionists discover it difficult to plan out their week after they don’t know what’s going to come up or how a lot vitality they’ll have. Whether or not you’re working an exhausting day job, doing shift work or elevating younger youngsters alongside constructing your corporation – there are specific issues that may really feel laborious to plan round. Particularly when nobody has taught you methods to plan correctly…

Some perfectionists plan their week as if all the things will go easily, hoping for one of the best after which abandoning their plans when the inevitable occurs. Others really feel like they will’t make plans in any respect and wing it day-by-day, praying they’ll have the ability to discover the motivation to do what issues most. However neither of those approaches work.

That’s why I interviewed Michelle Weeks on methods to plan correctly amidst uncertainty. Michelle is a PGSD Coach in addition to being a life coach who helps mums resiliently and joyfully navigate the ups and downs of motherhood.

This is among the finest episodes of the podcast. This episode was initially printed in January 2022 and was extremely popular so I needed to share it with you once more.

On the time of this recording Michelle and I had been moms of 6 month previous infants (Freddie and Lydia). And we’re each utilizing Energy Planning to get out of our personal means and shit finished in our companies. 

(Be aware: Since this recording, Sam gave start to twin boys in 2023 (Jack and James) and Michelle gave start to a child woman in 2023 (Ella). In order you’re listening to this episode please know that Energy Planning is most actually nonetheless serving to Sam and Michelle plan correctly amidst uncertainty).

Tune into this episode to find all the sensible issues we do to make Energy Planning work for us when life is throwing fixed curveballs.

Discover the total episode transcript and present notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode444.

In This Episode You’ll Study:

• Energy Planning versus to-do lists
• The significance of ‘buffer time’ and the place so as to add it in your calendar
• Why Michelle has been dedicated to Energy Planning for greater than 2 years
• How Energy Planning stops you from feeling dangerous about altering your plans mid-week
• When it is smart to solely Energy Plan a few days at a time
• What Energy Planning really seems like in follow (it’s not good)

Featured In The Episode:

Work With Me:

My teaching program Perfectionists Getting Shit Achieved (aka PGSD) teaches you methods to plan correctly as a perfectionist so you will get out of your individual means in your corporation. To seek out out extra about this system and be the primary to know when the doorways open, be a part of the waitlist as we speak: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.

Free Coaching: How To Plan Correctly As A Perfectionist With Energy Planning

If you wish to get shit finished with out burning out, I invite you to observe the free coaching I’ve created on methods to plan correctly as a perfectionist with Energy Planning. By the top of the sequence, you’ll be prepared to begin utilizing Energy Planning as we speak to get your perfectionist mindset in your facet so you will get out of your individual means. Go to samlaurabrown.com/plan to observe the coaching as we speak.

Take The Perfectionism Quiz To Get Your Personalised Perfectionism Rating

In case you’re unsure whether or not perfectionism is what’s making you get in your individual means, I invite you to take The Perfectionism Quiz. 

After working with over 1,000 perfectionist entrepreneurs, I created this free quiz so you will get your personalised perfectionism rating and uncover which of the 5 areas of perfectionism you’ll most profit from engaged on overcoming probably the most: whether or not it’s overthinking, procrastination, burnout, all-or-nothing pondering or concern of judgement.

It takes lower than 3 minutes to get your distinctive end result and be one step nearer to getting shit finished with out burning out. In case you love studying about your self and also you’re able to get out of your individual means, go to samlaurabrown.com/quiz to take the quiz as we speak. 

Hear To The Episode

Hearken to the episode on the participant above, click on right here to obtain the episode and take it with you or hear anyplace you usually take heed to podcasts – simply discover Episode 444 of The Perfectionism Undertaking Podcast!

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FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Introduction
Hello and welcome to a different episode of The Perfectionism Undertaking, a podcast stuffed with perfectionism recommendation for entrepreneurs. My title is Sam Laura Brown, I assist entrepreneurs launch their perfectionism handbrake to allow them to get out of their very own means and construct a satisfying and worthwhile enterprise. I’m the founding father of the Perfectionist Getting Shit Achieved group teaching program, which is in any other case often known as PGSD. And for much more perfectionism recommendation that can assist you with your corporation. You possibly can observe me on Instagram @perfectionismproject

Renae (Intro)
Hey, it’s Renae, Sam’s advertising supervisor right here. I’m so excited so that you can take heed to this episode that was initially printed in January 2022. After I actually listened to this episode, I took away so many new issues. It’s a type of episodes the place each time you take heed to it, you get one thing else from it. I’m personally going to be sending the hyperlink of this episode to some of my associates, and I’ll positively it’s a type of episodes I will likely be coming again and listening to after I want to remove one thing new that Sam and Michelle spoke about.

So, on this episode, you’ll hear Sam and Michelle which Michelle is considered one of our pretty PGSD coaches. They’re speaking about their expertise of energy planning amidst uncertainty. And on the time of this recording, they had been each moms of six month previous infants Freddy and Lydia. And I simply need to let that since they recorded this episode in 2023, each had extra youngsters. So Sam gave start to twin boys, Jack and James and Michelle gave start to a child woman Ella. In order you take heed to this episode, please know that energy planning is most actually nonetheless serving to Sam and Michelle plan correctly amisdt uncertainty. All proper, get pleasure from listening to Sam and Michelle break down the sensible issues they do to make energy planning work when life is throwing them fixed curveballs.

Sam Laura Brown
On this episode, I’m interviewing Michelle Weeks, she is a PGSD coach. So whenever you be a part of PGSD, you’re gonna meet her. And she or he can also be a life coach for mothers, she helps mothers to do the mindset work they should do in an effort to present up absolutely for themselves and for his or her youngsters. And she or he additionally helps mothers transition into motherhood and doing that in a very lovely, intentional means. So I’ll hyperlink up Michelle’s Instagram and her web site within the present notes. And I actually need to encourage you, in the event you get pleasure from this podcast, and also you resonate with the best way that I educate, and the rules that I educate, you’ll love Michelle. So go and check out her Instagram. And in case you are a mother attain out to her and discover out extra about what she does.

So on this episode, we speak about methods to energy plan amidst uncertainty. So methods to energy plan whenever you don’t know what your week goes to seem like. Possibly you’re a shift employee, and also you’re unsure whenever you’re gonna work, or there’s simply a lot change within the time of day that you simply work, that you simply aren’t in a position to actually get into routines, as a result of on a regular basis is so completely different. Possibly like Michelle and I, you might have a toddler or you might have youngsters. And there’s the uncertainty that comes with, will my youngster be effectively, will they be napping after they’re meant to be napping? Or what’s going to that seem like? Will they be going to sleep on the similar time? Or will they be when will they be waking up? And when will they have to be fed?

And what if I’m exhausted and all these issues that may include having youngsters, or what in case you are working a full time job, for instance, and you might be engaged on your corporation alongside that. And also you don’t know the way exhausted you’re gonna be after you get house from work or you might have household commitments, perhaps you might be caring for an additional member of your loved ones, otherwise you simply have issues which are taking place, quite a lot of plates within the air, perhaps like me, you might be doing a renovation, you might have these issues happening that you simply really feel like I don’t even know what’s going to return up this week. So how am I meant to really plan my week out, one of the best I can do is simply have this to-do record and choose off objects on the day if I do have time to be productive.

On this episode, we speak about how one can energy plan, even when there’s uncertainty in your week. And that features as effectively when you might have uncertainty as to the way you’re going to really feel how productive you’re going to be. We are likely to plan for our supreme self. And we speak about methods to actually plan to your actual life and what’s happening and the way that basically is the best approach to be productive while additionally taking good care of your self and your well being and health targets and all the things that you’ve got happening in your life apart from your corporation.

So I actually hope that you simply get pleasure from this one. And that it solutions some questions for you about methods to plan when there’s uncertainty in addition to provide you with some perception into virtually talking what energy planning seems like for each Michelle and I, we share quite a lot of actual life examples of what energy planning seems like for us and the adjustments that occur week to week and the way we use journaling and self-coaching to assist us and various things like that.

So I do know you’re going to get lots from this one. In case you get pleasure from it, please take a screenshot and tag each Michelle and I on Instagram, we might like to see that. Okay, so with that stated, let’s get into the interview with Michelle.

Sam Laura Brown

Hello, Michelle, welcome to the podcast. I’m so excited to be speaking to you about methods to use energy planning and plan out your week. Even whenever you don’t know precisely how your week is gonna look. You don’t know what would possibly change. Possibly you might have a toddler you’re doing shift work. You have got some type of uncertainty that makes it actually difficult to determine what to place in your plans? So let’s begin by speaking about for you, what did energy planning seem like? Earlier than? Sorry? I don’t imply that what I imply is, what did your planning course of seem like earlier than energy planning?

Michelle Weeks

Effectively, thanks, thanks for having me, I’m actually, actually excited to be on the podcast. For me, earlier than energy planning, I used to be a listing woman I had, which I really was very proud of on the time, as a result of it was all that I’d recognized. And I used to have a listing of should do’s and a listing of need to’s. However what I didn’t notice on the time was simply how a lot of an impression having a listing like that had on my mind with the ability to change off. As a result of the record was at all times there, it was at all times sitting there, it was by no means going anyplace. And so I by no means sort of obtained to a spot the place I felt like I had accomplished one thing sufficient to have the ability to then change off and relaxation.

And so the lists for me whereas I whereas on the time, they had been working very well, it wasn’t till I then found a brand new means of doing it and a way more, I suppose, holistic means of doing it, as a result of my lists had been solely ever the duties that I needed to do. They usually by no means had issues on them that I really like needed to do. For me, it was similar to the issues that I needed to do. And so it wasn’t till I found energy planning that then I used to be like, Oh, really, this nonetheless permits me to do all of the issues that I would like and need to do. However it additionally has that added ingredient of my mind with the ability to see one thing be full and have the ability to change off. But in addition, the holistic facet of what was vital to me was like balancing my relaxation, and my, , my train and my social occasions and people types of issues, which the to-do record simply by no means ever, like facilitated that potential for me.

Sam Laura Brown

Yeah, whenever you had your to-do lists, you had been saying that it was sort of just like the shoulds. And all these expectations you had for your self and probably not the issues that you simply needed to do. Are you able to consider any examples of that particularly, like issues that you simply had in your to-do record that you simply didn’t actually need to do, however you thought it’s best to? Or issues that you’d have favored to have there, however you hadn’t actually thought to place in your to do record?

Michelle Weeks

Yeah, so I believe, for me, the shoulds had been quite a lot of the like, nitty gritty issues. So issues that and I suppose as a perfectionist, I might take into consideration all of the tiny little issues and the booby duties that may be on my record, however not essentially the duties that had been going to be actually impactful for me really shifting ahead. And so my record could be like 30, 40 bits lengthy, however none of them had been really issues that had been impactful. All they did was type of litter in my mind and make me really feel like I had so many issues that I needed to do.

And that is perhaps issues like, , like paying the payments, which clearly have to occur, however paying the payments or, , getting in contact with this particular person or no matter it might be, I felt like there have been so lots of these, that by the point I might work my means via these if I used to be simply doing it in a linear means, I then would get to those that had been really actually vital. And I’d be like, oh, what, I’ve finished fairly just a few issues as we speak, and I’m fairly exhausted. So I’d simply, , have a break right here. So it actually allowed me to, like, not essentially take motion on issues which are actually vital, however hold myself actually busy and actually overwhelmed on these smaller duties that weren’t essentially that vital. However I nonetheless really feel like I must be doing them.

Sam Laura Brown

Yeah, did it really feel I used to be gonna ask that it really feel like all the things on that record was vital. Like on the time you I’m certain had been conscious of like prioritizing and that sort of factor. So what do you assume made it so that you simply nonetheless did these duties that wasn’t as vital for us as a result of I believe that’s so widespread, and that we are able to actually intellectually perceive prioritization and that sort of factor. And but we’re like, however these items are actually vital. They do have to get finished. And since they need to get finished issues like paying the payments, I’m going to do them first. After which I’ll do my good to have’s later and we sort of simply find yourself on this upkeep mode. Did you are feeling like that like all the things on that record was vital?

Michelle Weeks

Yeah, I did. I positively did. However I suppose, the excellence that I used to be in a position to then in on reflection, the excellence that I used to be in a position to see. Whereas on the time after they simply all felt vital, as soon as I’d recognized extra, I used to be in a position to then say, Okay, effectively dangle on, I can prioritize these items in, I can nearly like group them and categorize them in order that they nonetheless will get finished, or they nonetheless have a spot. However it’s not at a time the place I could possibly be actually using that chunk of time for one thing that’s actually vital. So for me, it was like, , if I’ve obtained an enormous chunk of time that I actually need to use to be efficient and transfer myself and my enterprise ahead. I used to be utilizing that point for these little to do’s that felt actually vital on the time, however really, weren’t issues that had been serving to to push myself and my enterprise ahead. So it was about distinguishing between, sure, these are vital, however there’s a time and a spot for them. And these are the duties which are vital inside this, , carrying this hat on this chunk of time that I’m going to plan out.

Sam Laura Brown

Yeah, that makes whole sense. So inform me, what was your expertise? Like whenever you began energy planning? Do you bear in mind when that was?

Michelle Weeks

I’ve been planning… I’ve been energy planning now for just below two years. And yeah, the expertise was, I suppose, clearly, I’ve been in PGSD for the reason that date began. And there was positively somewhat little bit of resistance there for me initially. You realize, I, I needed perfectionist, I needed it to love be color-coded completely and fluff round and have all of it like I couldn’t have any gaps. As a result of how outrageous if my calendar had gaps in it, and all these items. So for me, it was positively one thing that I wanted to alter my mindset round it. And I wanted to begin seeing it as one thing that was actually like, a liberating factor for me. And in an effort to try this, I wanted to decide to attempting it.

And for me, most likely, I can’t actually bear in mind, however I believe it was between, it was round three months for me, which I do know is type of what you counsel anyway. However I believe it actually was round that three-month mark that I began to say, oh, okay, I, I can see like how liberating that is for me to have this as a instrument and as a follow, and have the ability to use it to plan out my week successfully. And as soon as I had been in that progress mindset round it as an alternative of simply being like, Oh, effectively, it doesn’t work. It’s like, okay, why isn’t it working? Why can I What can I do? Or how can I modify or adapt this follow in order that it might probably work. And that was, , a journey of discovery? For certain. For certain, for me. And, and however the advantages that I noticed via that persistence had been so so so useful for me as an individual, however as a enterprise proprietor, as effectively. And…

Sam Laura Brown

What had been a few of these advantages? Like what did since you are productive earlier than? What did it actually seem like when you energy planning and also you’d finished these first few months the place it may be a little bit of a rocky highway? We’re attempting to determine how that works. After which you will get right into a groove with it. What did that seem like for you compared? Like how are you aware? Sure, that is working for me. And also you then clearly determined to maintain doing it?

Michelle Weeks

Yeah, good query. For me, it was the power to change off. I had actually by no means switched off earlier than. In all probability ever, however actually, , I used to be a trainer for a few years earlier than that. And it was the power to take a look at it and say, in entrance of me a visible learner in entrance of me, I can see that all the things on my record has a spot and goes to get finished. And on high of that, I can get relaxation I can are you aware I can decide to my train. I can see my associates I can do the social facet of issues. And I by no means obtained that with a listing.

With a listing, it was simply an ongoing, one thing that was at all times like little sandbags in my mind. However after I began to energy plan, it actually obtained to the purpose that I used to be like, I can see, I can launch all of these sandbags from my mind. And I can see in entrance of me the place all the things matches, all the things has a house, all the things goes to get finished. And there’s area for it to be one thing that I can change and iterate as I’m going. So for me, that was the large change in recognizing that I might change on for regardless of the duties had been. However I might additionally change off and never really feel like these sandbags had been simply always in my mind weighing me down on a regular basis.

Sam Laura Brown

Yeah, I believe we’re all accustomed to that feeling of like, despite the fact that you’ve had a productive day or productive week, you continue to by no means really feel such as you’re on high of all the things, whenever you’re simply speaking from that lengthy to-do record, particularly once we’re including extra objects to that to-do record because the week goes on. Yeah, however when you may have all of it laid out and simply say, Cool, that is what I have to do, after which get to the top of that and truly really feel completed. And clearly, whenever you’re planning, you’re doing it in a means you may really observe via one. So I believe quite a lot of perfectionists have hesitations round working from a calendar. Due to that tendency, we now have to over plan, after which really feel like that is after I first began working from a calendar. I believe I first tried it perhaps about 5 years in the past now. And it was a horrible expertise. Due to the best way that I did it. I hadn’t but discovered methods to not over plan. And so I simply felt like I had this like merciless ruler, who was attempting to do these items with out ever having a break and pondering that each one the duties take half the time. And it wasn’t enjoyable. After which figuring that out. It’s simply so liberating, as you stated, wish to not have that psychological baggage of all these duties that we must always do.

I actually needed to talk about methods to plan and use energy planning when there’s uncertainty. So we each have on the time this will likely be launched six-month-old infants who’re born a couple of week aside. Yeah, and when you might have a toddler, it brings quite a lot of uncertainty. And it brings quite a lot of potential for change, particularly whenever you don’t know in the event that they’re going to be effectively or not after they’re going to sleep or after they’re going to have to be fed. Like in the intervening time, I’m breastfeeding Lydia on demand. In order that’s actually anytime that she desires it. So these can stop challenges to planning except we all know methods to plan successfully when there’s uncertainty.

And so I’d love to listen to from you what adjustments you made to your weekly energy planning or what bits had been particularly vital after Freddy was born and also you started energy planning once more. Like how did you be sure that if he didn’t nap when he was meant to or issues like that occurred, that you simply had been nonetheless in a position to simply hold your plans workable and hold going as an alternative of what we are likely to do is simply ditch the entire plan and say, Oh, I can’t even plan in any respect. As a result of I don’t know, when he’s gonna sleep or for somebody who’s simply I can’t I don’t know the place my shifts will likely be or I don’t know if I’ll be too drained after my full time job to work on my enterprise. So for you, what has that regarded like? Like how have you ever actually made certain your plans are workable, and you’ll nonetheless decide to planning with all that uncertainty that they presents?

Michelle Weeks

Yeah, and it’s so true there. I imply, my life could be very unsure, not solely from clearly a child. I even have my husband’s schedule could be very, very unsure, he does quite a lot of journey, we transfer very frequently. So I’ve quite a lot of follow in energy planning with uncertainty and the advantages of that which has been one thing that has actually supported me via the uncertainty that we now have been via just lately, significantly.

Now, when it comes to how my planning has modified. There’s a few issues that I positively have made, or have put extra emphasis on. The primary one is planning, or being additional form to myself after I’m planning. Now, I can like I sit and I acknowledge simply how a lot is happening in life in the intervening time as everybody has. And previous to having Freddie it was most likely somewhat bit extra of like a Oh, I do know. Like I do know that issues are going to go the best way and or the best way that I’m hoping them to go. However it was most likely extra an inner selection as as to if or not I used to be going to observe via and that may be the issues that had been unsure. Whereas now that uncertainty is type of out of my arms so I plan being additional additional form to myself that on a sensible sense, seems like having heaps of area is like area in my calendar. So numerous additional buffer time, I even have what I name like a hearth extinguisher zone, which for me is like, this can be a added bonus working, working chunking my week, if I would like it. And if I don’t, then that at all times turns into clear relaxation for me.

However it sort of permits me to have that thought technique of I’ve obtained additional time, I’ve obtained additional buffer, however I even have my hearth extinguisher time as effectively. In order that’s been actually useful. The 2 issues that I’ve most likely modified probably the most or have targeted on probably the most since then, is the 2 issues that lots of people I suppose, don’t essentially get to in energy planning, when they’re nonetheless studying and that’s the contingency plans.

For me, contingency plans are completely key. In order I plan all through the week, I’m at all times pondering, Okay, what’s the contingency plan going to be if, , Freddie’s care falls via or if I’m, like, exhausted, or I haven’t slept in any respect the night time earlier than, or no matter it might be. So I spent quite a lot of time now pondering of the contingencies that I can put in place. After which following on from that, I actually have a look at the workability of my calendar. And for me, quite a lot of what I do is I don’t dwell on if one thing has labored, or sorry, if I’ve needed to change plans. I don’t dwell on that, which has really proven me a lot progress in myself, which I’m actually enthusiastic about, as a result of as an alternative of it being like, oh, however , it means a lot extra about me. Now, I’m like, Okay, I don’t dwell on it. That didn’t work. How can I reshuffle, what can I do to make it workable to any extent further, as an alternative of such as you had been saying, letting or not it’s one thing that I maintain on to, after which it drags for the remainder of that day, and the remainder of the week, and so on, and so on. It’s like, okay, I’m gonna hold this inside, , I’m going to not make this imply extra about myself than it does, I’m gonna acknowledge that that is the truth of the state of affairs. And now I’m going to alter my plans and make them workable from right here on. So it doesn’t sort of compound and have a compound impact all through the week. It’s simply cool. And we transfer on, and we determine it out as we go.

Sam Laura Brown

Yeah, that’s such a terrific level. As a result of we are able to actually really feel quite a lot of disgrace round needing to alter plans, when we now have this concept that how we plan initially of the week, we must always have the ability to observe that to a tee and never need to make any adjustments. And we predict, Effectively, I’m having to make a change. Meaning I’m not following via. Meaning like, perhaps I’m self-sabotaging. After which we are able to go into that complete span of like, is that this self-sabotage? Or do I would like to really relaxation and spend all this time attempting to determine that out? However to only what I really like about energy planning is that a part of it’s planning that your plans will change, which is contingency planning and seeing like, Okay, effectively, what if childcare falls via? Or what if I’ve to get up each hour, that night time, after which I can’t do something the subsequent day, as a result of I’m so exhausted. And so when that’s baked into the plans, and when a part of Energy Plan is checking in on the calendar and adjusting it, it then turns into simply a part of what ought to occur. Like, as perfectionists, we at all times have this imaginary, like how issues must be taking place, after which what we’re doing, after which we despair concerning the distinction between these two. But when it’s a part of the planning technique to alter your plans, then it simply turns into like a non-issue.

Like earlier than recording this. We had an e-mail are available in from our builder, our renovation, and the time that is launched will hopefully be accomplished in like the ultimate week, and we’re hopefully shifting in subsequent week. And there’s one thing excellent with all {the electrical} stuff. And it took us two hours. I imply, Steve to undergo this e-mail and examine all these invoices and quotes and draft up this reply. And so I used to be in a position to simply shuffle round what was on my plans, it wasn’t a difficulty. And Steve was like, I don’t need to disrupt your day, such as you’ve obtained shit to do. And I used to be like, Yeah, however I’ve deliberate for this type of factor to occur, as a result of I do know we’re within the remaining week of a renovation, and that we’re most likely gonna need to have just a few emails, have conferences with the builders, so I haven’t deliberate my week. As if I’m not in the course of a renovation as if I don’t have a child as if I’ve limitless vitality. I’ve deliberate it as if all of these issues are happening. And I’ve like I really like the way you talked concerning the hearth extinguisher sort you might have like Sunday the entire time I’ve blocked off his buffer time. In order that just like the factor that occurred as we speak with the emails, I might take that two-hour chunk that I had, and simply slide it over to Sunday. After which it’s not a difficulty I’m not behind. And it’s so vital to maintain the plans workable as you go. In order that that feeling of being behind doesn’t occur, like what does that seem like for you? Are you taking a look at your calendar all through the day? Or do you have a look at the top? Like, virtually talking? Yeah, how do you make these changes in your calendar?

Michelle Weeks

So virtually talking, for me, I’ve two screens that I work from day by day, one display screen will at all times have my calendar on it, and the opposite one will likely be the place I’m working from. And so I always have my calendar in entrance of me, and I can acknowledge what it’s that I meant to be doing on this time and the place my day goes, after which I and I obtained this from you. On the finish of every day I’m going via and I put little, like ticks or crosses subsequent to what did occur or what didn’t occur. After which I overview and take a look at if these issues which are have throughout subsequent to it, do they have to be shuffled or is that one thing that I simply have to study for subsequent week isn’t essentially one thing that must be put into my energy planning, perhaps that’s one thing that I have to get rid of in one of many steps. So that’s how I do it, I do I have a look at it every day, and I transfer round every day. After which I do my weekly overview on the finish of the week. And that’s sort of my time the place I then say, okay, , what really wants to alter what labored, what didn’t, and so on, and so on. And that then helps me plan with issues in thoughts for the subsequent week, or it helps me to sort of transfer the issues over that have to be moved. If I can see that they’re nonetheless issues that basically have to get finished. In any other case, I can get rid of them. And yeah, don’t make it imply an excessive amount of about myself within the course of.

Sam Laura Brown

Yeah, and I do the identical as effectively, that it’s actually having these two screens, I discover useful, however you don’t have to have two screens, however I like to see my calendar there. So I’m always reminded of it. And there are some days that I’m working. After which I simply sort of go down a rabbit gap, and I’m not taking a look at my calendar. After which the subsequent work day, it’s only a behavior now to take a look at my calendar, and I’ll go and replace roughly talking, what I did the day earlier than and make these adjustments. In order that I’m by no means feeling behind, I can have a look at my calendar at any level, it solely takes a few minutes to replace it. Yeah. And typically I’m like, I like, I simply have to get this, like as we speak’s stuff workable. So I can do it. After which I would like to determine after I can do the remainder. So I don’t give attention to getting all the things into its good spot. Generally I’ll simply be like, cool, these duties didn’t occur yesterday, they’re not going to have the ability to occur as we speak, I’ve this different stuff I have to do. I’m simply gonna like, drag them to a future day they usually is perhaps overlapping. After which when that day comes, I’ll make these changes in order that it’s all workable.

I believe we are able to get caught up on like, Okay, effectively, however when am I going to do these duties after which attempting to determine that out. However it’s simply so vital within the second within the week to only be targeted on okay, we’re at as we speak, what do I have to do as we speak, I’m nonetheless pondering of like how we do the ability hour and the order, we do issues with clear relaxation and never being a precedence over the work duties. And it’s very straightforward to only drag issues out once we get behind. After which we’re in that over planning. And a contingency planning is perhaps that if we haven’t finished one thing that we determine, really, on this clear relaxation time, like this factor must get finished this week. If I don’t do it, then, then I’m going to get it in, get it finished in that point. However I like to recommend towards that as a result of then we simply find yourself probably not having any motivation to get it finished within the time that we now have allowed. What has your expertise been like with that when it comes to, really having an finish to your day? And methods to know when to go previous that? After which methods to know when to only name it and in the event you’ve procrastinated or if one thing hasn’t occurred to only bear the consequence of that and hold going.

Michelle Weeks

And I believe so simply I’ll reply that in a sec. However I needed to only contact on what you stated as effectively is that concept of like there are some weeks that I fairly confidently planning out a complete week after which hold it workable. However there are additionally many weeks that I have a look at it and like are you aware what I’m going to plan the primary two days of that week, and that’s okay. I don’t essentially plan the entire week, each single week I can acknowledge, and once more, it most likely comes with the truth that I’ve practiced it lots and it’s now change into one thing that I’m rather more snug with however I don’t essentially at all times plan the entire week I can I positively plan two or three days at a time and be like, Okay, that’s the restrict of my books this week. After which at that cut-off date already, I’ll reassess and work out what’s happening.

When it comes to, like having completion within the day, I’m not good at it, that’s for certain. However it’s positively one thing that I can acknowledge in myself lately. And with the ability to have that point the place I do, my weekly overview, is absolutely useful for me to see what the tendencies are. And positively, to start with, after I was over planning lots, and having, , most likely planning for my idealistic self, reasonably than planning for my sensible self, I might get most likely to love 4 or 5 o’clock after which say, Oh, if I simply and if I simply and if I simply, and, , the calendar would sort of disappear additional and additional throughout my display screen. However what I can acknowledge now’s, I believe, within the technique of persisting with it and being interested in it, it’s helped me to establish after I do overplan, what, like, what’s making me really feel like I have to proceed on as we speak. What’s making me really feel like if it says that I’m beginning my clear relaxation at 5 o’clock, what are the ideas? And what are the precise duties that I’m having that’s making me really feel like I have to go additional than that?

After which in that second, nearly taking a step again and saying, is that this one thing that’s that I really want to do? Or is that this me sort of simply breaking the self-trust that I, that I’m constructing with myself always? By attempting to get forward or by feeling like I haven’t finished sufficient or all of these, like shortage ideas that may come into it? And I discover often after I go previous, or after I’m attempting to my brains attempting to persuade me to go previous after I’ve scheduled, often, it’s one thing that comes up for me that’s in that shortage thought course of, after which I might be interested in what that’s. Oftentimes, , there are positively some instances that I’m like, No, I have to get this activity finished. And that is the time that I’m going to get it finished. And I’m going to go for it. And sure, I’ll make all the things else workable. However there are these two sides. It’s like being curious concerning the underlying stuff and going a bit deeper into that. After which different days that I’m like, No, this can be a get shit finished day, I have to get this finished by X, Y, Z, and I’m going to maintain going as we speak. So…

Sam Laura Brown

Yeah, I really like the way you stated about, it actually lets you get curious and in addition to love see these shortage ideas and that sort of factor. As a result of it truly is such a terrific private improvement instrument like it should present you the place it’s worthwhile to nonetheless do work. And that may be confronting at instances. That’s why in PGSD, we provide a lot assist, as a result of it’s like, all that stuff’s already there. However it’s going to make it extra apparent whenever you aren’t in a position to simply work off this imprecise to-do record anymore. And completely, , hold indulging in these like, Okay, only one other thing, only one other thing. However you’re in a position to see like, Okay, I had deliberate to finish as we speak. Now I’ve to decide about, will I hold doing these items and altering my plans? or received’t I? And even in the event you determine, really, I’m simply going to maintain working, I’m going to sort of not have a look at the calendar, then whenever you do the weekly overview, and also you’re trying again on the week, it’s such a good time to see like, Okay, effectively, I went well past after I plan to what’s happening there? Why do I believe I’m doing that? And never like, I shouldn’t have finished that. We don’t need to be in that mentality. It’s actually targeted on what labored, what didn’t work. And subsequent week, yeah, what’s going to I do?

So it could be in that state of affairs subsequent week, I’m going to determine if that occurs, once more, to do the work after I deliberate, or I’m really gonna examine in with myself. And I’m gonna say, hey, no really say for instance, in the event you’ve somebody’s procrastinated in the course of the day, like, oh, shit, now it’s 5 pm. And I would like to begin actually working. In that context. It’s so useful to only be like, really, I’m simply going to let myself expertise the consequence of the procrastination as a result of with the to-do record, we don’t actually give ourselves that we’re like, oh, I’m at all times meant to be working on a regular basis. And whenever you expertise the consequence, it not solely creates motivation to not do it, however it actually lets you decide what’s vital and what isn’t.

And I discovered myself like there are days and I’m not good about planning both. There are days the place I simply really feel like there’s a lot to do and I simply have to get all of it finished. There’s not sufficient time, and at any time when I discover myself in that, particularly when it feels actually intense, I’m like, I’m simply going to take the entire time without work tomorrow. And what’s going to occur is I’ll notice that, like, I might simply get that larger image perspective and be like, Oh, okay, like, right here, I used to be simply being like, actually so, so concerned in issues and pondering all the things’s so vital. After which if I drive myself to have extra clear relaxation, yeah, it actually then helps me prioritize. Really, there’s just one factor I had deliberate that day that I would like to maneuver to a different day. And the remainder, I can simply depart.

So I’m glad you talked about that it’s gonna look completely different every week that you simply’re doing energy planning. And that’s no matter whether or not you might have youngsters or a job that you’ve got alongside your corporation or the rest goes to be some weeks like in the intervening time, I energy deliberate for 5 weeks, and I’m working from that energy plan and adjusting as I went, as a result of the renovation and shifting home and Christmas and like there’s so many issues happening, I used to be like, I have to determine what I’ve time for. If I write this large, lengthy to-do record of what I have to do for the enterprise, I’m going to be like, cool, I’ve heaps of time, this 5 weeks, I can do lots in that point. And I’m most likely going to get midway via it and really feel so overwhelmed. However after I can energy plan, I put heaps of buffer time in there, numerous days off, Steve’s working numerous shifts, so he received’t have the ability to assist with childcare on these days, I’ll be taking care of Lydia. And I’ve simply deliberate, I’m not going to do something on these days. And I’ve sort of plan based mostly on the naked minimal of what I’ll have the ability to do. And now I don’t really feel any stress about it. As a result of I do know, each activity despite the fact that I’ve this lengthy to-do record, each activity has its place. And I understand how to maintain my plans workable. I’ve been working towards that for just a few years now. So and I’ve accounted for that. And I’ve accounted for stuff to return up. And for me to be drained and for me to need to be shifting into the home and targeted on that.

So there are some weeks as effectively the place I’ll plan a few days. And that’s one of the best I can do. After which I’ll examine in once more and plan the subsequent few days. So I’m actually glad you talked about that, like, it’s not about having this good hour, you sit down, you make these good plans, and also you observe via completely. And then you definately do that overview and pat your self on the again, it’s not gonna seem like that. And that’s not even what we’re aiming for. It’s actually simply having a means of planning that truly works for you and your way of life. And I really like earlier than the way you talked about to concerning the uncertainty you might have with Ruby, and I completely forgot all of that. once we’re pregnant and also you’re like, I don’t even know which metropolis I’m gonna be in after I give start and all these various things. And I used to be like, oh my God, like, that’s a lot that there have been so many alternative issues happening.

And but, you’ve nonetheless been in a position to make plans and do the issues that you simply wanted to do. And all whereas being form to your self and taking care of your well being and being with your loved ones and all these issues. So I believe you actually are actually the proper particular person to consider it as a result of you might have actually had quite a lot of altering plans and be like, really, I simply came upon as we speak that I’m shifting subsequent week to a completely completely different metropolis and all these issues. Sure. So I need to shortly discuss if we are able to about inner uncertainty that you simply talked about, when it comes to reasonably than it being one thing exterior that may disrupt us that it is perhaps us procrastinating or feeling overwhelmed or being drained or that we’re unsure how we’re going to really feel all through the week. Yeah. So that may make it difficult to plan as effectively. How do you strategy that with your individual energy planning?

Michelle Weeks

So I do, I do quite a lot of journaling. Journaling is like the important thing in each side that I do. However I, I journal earlier than I energy plan, I additionally journal initially of each workday that I’ve. The rationale that I do that’s in order that I can see what’s happening firstly, in my mind see what’s happening. But in addition from there, I can really I discover it units myself up so a lot better to have the ability to tackle board what is definitely on my calendar. And sometimes, , typically I’m coming into a piece session or I’m coming into my energy planning. And I’m like, my mind goes in 10,000 completely different instructions. You realize, I’m nonetheless desirous about, , Freddie and what he did this morning, or how I wanna go and play with him or , all these various things which are happening in my thoughts. And I discover that after I sit down and journal first I’m nearly in a position to like, flush all of these out. Work out what I’m really feeling proper now and the way I’m really going to tackle these duties and from that time, then I’m like proper, now I’m prepared. Now I can take this on or now I can adapt or alter or work out how I’m going to strategy this work session, working with the place I’m at proper now, as an alternative of simply desirous about, like, what I must be pondering or, or how I needed to be pondering, and so on, and so on.

The opposite a part of it for me is, after I’m energy planning, I actually, like transport myself to every day. And for me, that was a part of a part of the method of studying methods to energy plan was going via the method of taking a look at that weekly view, seeing the tendencies, and so on, and so on. So I sort of know, like, by the point it will get to Thursday, yeah, like, I can see I’m fairly exhausted, as a result of I’ve obtained quite a lot of historical past that reveals me that that is perhaps the case. So whereas I don’t use that to, , catastrophize, the latter a part of my week, what I do do is realistically have a look at it and say, okay, if I’m going to assume that means off, that’s how I’m going to have an effect on how I can predict how I’d really feel that means. What can I do now to assist myself? Earlier than it will get to that time? Or on that day? What can I do to assist myself earlier than I get into the issues that I have to get into?

Sam Laura Brown

Yeah, and in addition, I’m certain you do that, as effectively, like having extra duties on Sunday. So perhaps it’s like extra within the first half of the week, sure, later. And just like the later half been extra buffer time, and that sort of factor, within the first half been extra like getting shit finished. Yeah, it’s so useful to have that strategy, and to essentially simply be so form to ourselves, like how energy planning is mostly a instrument for being self-compassionate, however not in a means that we’re simply letting ourselves off the hook and pretending that we don’t need to do large issues and that don’t need to develop as an individual, as a result of it may be straightforward to be on this place we’ve been over planning and so annoyed at how behind you might be after which we’re like, fuck it, I’m not gonna make any plans, I’m simply gonna study to be proud of what I’ve. And be, grateful with what I’ve and, and that may sound nice. However quite a lot of instances the vitality with which we’re saying that it’s actually us simply sort of placing our arms up and surrendering and never within the highly effective means that we are able to give up actually in a apathetic sort of surrendering over like going effectively, it doesn’t matter, it’s not going to make a distinction.

And so once we energy plan and try this weekly overview, and actually get to study extra about ourselves, once we’re doing that, it helps us to really be form to ourselves. And typically which means getting shit finished. And typically, which means not placing something on our plate that day in any respect. And with the ability to distinguish the distinction.

And I really like the way you talked about about journaling, as a result of I don’t assume I’ve talked about this very a lot. However I that’s such an vital a part of it for me is that like I sit with my pocket book subsequent to me all through your complete day. And there’s typically instances that earlier than I do a activity, I would like to educate myself on with the ability to get it finished in that point. Or after I do a activity, I would like to educate myself on that being okay, and simply conserving on going. And just like the final week I’ve had each of these issues occur rather a lot. Like for instance, with PGSD with the gross sales web page. I’m like I used to be engaged on that. And like I really like writing and all of that. So it’s like, oh, however there’s, I actually need to get this excellent. And like, say it in one of the best ways I presumably can and have or not it’s as useful as attainable for folks to determine whether or not they’ll be a part of PGSD or not.

And so I used to be like, Okay, effectively, I need to do all of this factor and put all these items collectively and like, made it this complete factor. After which I used to be taking a look at my energy planning. And I do know like, as I stated, I’ve obtained weeks value deliberate out. I do know that if this drags out, that’s gonna have an enormous knock-on impact. And I don’t need that to occur. So I’ve obtained an hour and a half to complete it. So then I went into journaling, and I spent like 10 minutes journaling about if this was straightforward, what would I do? Yeah, what’s the actual objective that I’m attempting to realize right here?

How can I obtain that on this time, I set a timer. Like I have already got my calendar, however I set a timer on my cellphone that I might see. And I simply labored as if I used to be in an examination, you might have quite a lot of practices of like, the pens are going to be down in an hour and a half. Yeah. And so if that was a state of affairs, what might I create in that point, and trusting that it doesn’t need to be good. And it’s not the one piece of the puzzle and all of that. However actually, as an alternative of being like, effectively, as a result of there’s this complete factor that we might speak about, which is understanding how lengthy a activity will take. And sure, typically it’s a matter of deciding typically that simply it’s worthwhile to hold issues workable and provides additional time and also you didn’t notice issues would come up.

However typically it’s only a matter of deciding. I’m going to make it take this lengthy, as a result of I might spend a complete All week value of labor, yeah, conserving issues and like placing that each one collectively and get to the top be like, That’s fairly nice. However actually, I didn’t have to be good. And I already knew what to say if I actually tapped into that. So I might simply sit down and give attention to that and let or not it’s okay and hold going. After which I talked about on Instagram, after I recorded the opposite podcast episodes which are a part of this sequence, two of them, I used to be like this Oh, shit, and I ought to fully redo them. After which I needed to coach myself after the actual fact, on that. And in order that’s a part of conserving the plans workable is like teaching your self. And likewise in PGSD, we now have teaching, you may take heed to the teaching, name replays, and different PGSD’s get coached on it. Now we have the discussion board, all these issues that can assist you as a result of that teaching within the second is such an vital a part of it.

And and not using a to-do record, like I might simply spend all that point doing the gross sales web page and be self-sabotaging however not realizing it, however as a result of I knew I had determined how lengthy I might give myself. So I’d already spent a while on it earlier than that, I believe perhaps an hour and a half. And I used to be like a half an hour and a half extra. That’s what I made a decision, yeah, I’ve written gross sales pages earlier than as effectively. However that apart, I used to be like, I’ve finished this earlier than. I do know what to do. And the one motive it could take extra time is that I’m overthinking it. So how am I going to do that with out overthinking it? So yeah, they will actually be quite a lot of nice alternatives for self-coaching. And it’s such a terrific private improvement instrument as a result of all of that stuff I wouldn’t need to face I wouldn’t be uncovering if I used to be simply doing what I used to do as effectively, which was working from that epic To-Do Record always feeling behind. And similar to them, once we’re doing that we predict how work is like, how do I be extra motivated? And we’re sort of asking the fallacious private improvement questions once we’re doing that.

So I really like what you stated about journaling. And would you say like for somebody who is considering energy planning, however they really feel like, effectively, I’ve obtained quite a lot of uncertainty. And , I’ve been procrastinating, I get overwhelmed and the stuff happening exterior like that I can’t management you. And I simply don’t really feel like I can work from a calendar. Or perhaps they’ve finished it earlier than they did what I didn’t simply fully overplanned. After which it felt so strict and inflexible. What would you say to somebody who’s pondering like, this sounds prefer it could possibly be actually useful for me. However I nonetheless don’t assume there’s sufficient certainty for me to have the ability to plan my time.

Michelle Weeks

I suppose my thought course of round that is that I, I dedicated to it. After which I acknowledge that the planning, so the factor that I believed was going to be limiting when it comes to just like the planning facet of it was really the factor that liberated me. After which I discovered so fascinating, as a result of it nearly appears like by having a plan, you are feeling restricted, you are feeling such as you’re in a field, you’ve obtained all these items, however really, in the best way that energy planning is designed, it lets you, to acknowledge what you may really do and the pliability which you could even have.

And that in itself is in the event you’re working from a calendar, you may really bodily see in entrance of you the advantages that it’s going to have in your week. Proper. So for me, it was it’s about sort of permitting people who find themselves pondering that means. Permitting people who find themselves in that thought course of, saying to them, like simply keep it up, give it a superb shot, see it as a instrument that may assist you but additionally see it as a follow which you could iterate and alter and make fit your needs as you go.

And recognizing that planning such as you’re always planning anyway, proper? You’re at all times planning however that is in a means which you could plan that truly lets you really feel like you may change on and change off to really feel like you may have a level of management throughout the uncertainty round you. And it’s nearly such as you don’t essentially need to be a sufferer of the externals. It’s like this can be a course of which you could then work out the way it works for you and management the issues that you’ll be able to management after which will let you flow on the issues which you could’t essentially management as effectively.

Sam Laura Brown

Yeah, that’s so correct that we’re planning anyway, even when you have that lengthy to-do record and also you’re saying, Effectively, I’ve to work from this to-do record as a result of there’s an excessive amount of uncertainty for me to plan. So I’ll simply sort of wait to the day see what’s taking place. Yeah, spotlight just a few duties and do them. That’s nonetheless a technique of planning. And it’s one which it doesn’t actually assist even when there’s uncertainty, as I stated like you may energy plan on the time without work typically if it’s worthwhile to try this. However the extra you follow it, and the extra you study your self and the way you’re employed finest, and also you make these contingency plans, then you may plan when there’s quite a lot of uncertainty.

However regardless, like we now have the uncertainty anyway, so it’ selecting to really plan successfully with there being uncertainty or simply sort of fake that everybody else has certainty. And also you’re the one one who doesn’t. So it’s worthwhile to have this completely different means of doing it. I believe completely, all of us wish to assume effectively, like, it’s completely different for me. Yeah. And it’s Yeah. They don’t have and that sort of factor, however recognizing everybody has that exterior uncertainty and that inner uncertainty as to how the week will play out. And what are we going to do about which are we going to really plan successfully and correctly within the face of that, or are we simply going to try to, , put our head on the quilt and fake that isn’t happening, and simply see what we really feel like within the second, as a result of I don’t find out about you. However for me, after I see how I really feel, I not often really feel like doing the issues that basically matter. And I simply do the issues which are snug I’ve finished earlier than, they don’t actually contain me, placing myself on the market or doing something daring, it’s simply sort of like cool, I really feel like doing this behind the scenes stuff that I’m tinkering away at. And in order that by no means labored.

For me, I don’t assume it really works for many individuals, it’s a must to actually have quite a lot of braveness and be very growth-minded already, to have the ability to within the second, pick these duties that basically are the needle movers and actually require quite a lot of braveness. Thanks a lot for sharing all that you’ve got you. So I actually respect it. And we love having you as a PGSD Coach, and have a you assist our PGSD is with energy planning and making use of it to their lives and making it work for them. And as we’ve mentioned on this, that, it’s gonna look a bit completely different, like each week and for everybody, however it’s not about it being a structured like it’s a must to get up at the moment, after which do this type of activity first, like some folks heat up and do like, life admin employees or Enterprise Admin first after which do the laborious stuff. And different folks like I want to begin the day with doing the difficult issues. However the previous few weeks when Lydia’s been waking up, I’m like, really, I simply have to sort of ease into the day and I’m simply gonna like examine in with everybody first, after which I’ll do myself later. So it’s not about having to work in a sure means. It’s actually about working in a means that works finest for you and figuring that out. I believe we all know that. However we don’t actually know that till we now have energy planning, we are able to have a look at that.

Michelle Weeks

I believe on that, sorry. I believe on that time. It’s like, I believe the advantage of it’s not solely do you begin to really get tons extra excessive impression, needle shifting duties finished, however you really study a lot extra about your self. And that’s what you had been saying, , you really find out how you’re employed and what, what works for you so that you simply don’t need to essentially go into that, oh, I’ll simply do what I need within the second. As a result of your self so a lot better. It’s such a terrific private improvement instrument that you simply get to study extra about your self, so to then apply that to your planning as an alternative of planning being separate to one thing which you could study your self as effectively.

Sam Laura Brown

Yeah, after which PGSD we’re only a large bunch of…

Sam Laura Brown

Thanks a lot, Michelle.

Michelle Weeks

So welcome. Thanks for having me.

Sam Laura Brown

My pleasure. I’ll hyperlink within the present notes the place you’ll find Michelle on Instagram. Do you need to say your Instagram deal with?

Michelle Weeks

Yeah, it’s @Michelle.C.weeks.

Sam Laura Brown

And you’ve got a web site doing?

Michelle Weeks

Sure, www.Michelleweeks.com.au

Sam Laura Brown

Superior. Thanks a lot, Michelle.

Michelle Weeks

Thanks, Sam.

Sam Laura Brown

In case you’re prepared to begin planning correctly as a perfectionist, then I invite you to affix us inside Perfectionist Getting Shit Achieved. So you’ll find out extra about this system at samlaurabrown.com/pgsd. That’s additionally the place you may join.

Outro
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