The “6P Rule” has been defined and applied in many different ways, always circling back to the main message: the importance of planning. What is the” 6P Rule”, exactly? 6P stands for Prior Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance. The exact origin of the rule is unknown, but the emphasis on effective planning is a message we can all relate to.
Think of all the ways a lack of appropriate planning could impact your business. Is there something you could change that would have a positive impact? And more importantly, is it worth it?
Without some consistent structure for everyday tasks and events, we lack a realistic path toward business success. With proper planning, businesses can:
Establish clear project objectives - Clear objectives mean a clear timeline and an ability to plan out each workday to suit this timeline. This creates the opportunity for checkpoints, delegation, and other steps to lead to a better outcome.
Prepare better for the unexpected- We can’t predict every little detail, but we can plan for a better rebound from unforeseen issues. Thorough planning can allow for a more adaptable budget and backup options. You can also learn from previous problems and plan out how you would better handle them if they happen again.
Track progress- Planning well in advance can allow tracking developments and show where you fall behind. A well-thought-out plan can also be great to review down the road, emphasizing what can be adjusted or included next time.
Realistically, no one is a perfect planner, and there’s always room for improvement. Identifying our planning strengths and weaknesses can significantly impact overall business performance. Let’s take a look at a few ways to optimize your planning skills:
Don’t just make a list for the week; think of the best way to schedule tasks. Make sure you place the more challenging tasks first and get them out of the way. If you work better in the morning, reserve the more difficult tasks and place more manageable tasks in the afternoon. Procrastinating on more complicated tasks will only increase your chances of failing.
You also don’t want a ton of long-term goals on your to-do list. Break down long-term goals into short-term tasks. Not only is it more motivating to accomplish multiple short-term goals as you go, but it is more likely that you will complete the big goal on time.
What’s a part of every workday, even if we don’t consider them as “tasks”? Breaks. Plan out your days in a realistic way; schedule your lunch and any other breaks you should be taking. Don’t schedule a huge chunk of time working with no breaks. Be practical about what you require to keep motivated and concentrated.
This may sound trivial, but also attempt to schedule specific times for things like checking emails and updating your calendar. We are all familiar with the category tasks like these fall under unexpected time-suckers that tend to send us down random rabbit holes. Once you get distracted, it may be an hour before you get back on track!
Also, do not oversimplify your to-do list. If you have to complete a blog post, is it just one task that you can do in an hour? Of course not! Time goes into planning, research, and then eventually writing! Schedule out times for all the steps; don’t just make a generic “Write Blog Post” task. The same goes for things like client meetings and Zoom presentations.
There’s plenty of software out there that can make your life a little easier. One great way to optimize planning with some added benefits? Use a calendar application. A visual calendar may not seem overly complex on the day-to-day, but down the road, you can use it to identify patterns and weaknesses in your plan.
Another great way to utilize technology within your business planning? Team collaboration through options like Google Workspace or Zoho Projects. These applications are great for sharing plans, delegating tasks, and increasing overall productivity. And like the calendar applications, these tools can also make it easier for process duplication and improvement easier down the line.
In conclusion, no one wants to violate the 6P Rule, right? We wouldn’t dare! Don’t let a lack of proper planning negatively affect your business– there are easy and risk-free ways to make it less of a problem. And like always, there’s never a better time to start than now!
Need help planning a better plan? Woggle is ready to lend some suggestions!
