Making plans.

I recently interviewed for a new job. One of the questions the group asked me was about planning my day. The question went something like this – imagine I planned out my day and knew what I was going to do, then something changed that plan and I had to do other things instead, how would I adapt if my plan for the day was broken and could not be followed?

I answered quickly that I would adjust my day and my expectations. It didn’t take long to think of an answer. I would look at the things I had planned and try my best to prioritize the most important ones, be flexible about not completing the others.

Then I laughed and laughed and laughed internally. Imagine a day that didn’t go to plan? Ha. Imagine, say 500+ days that haven’t gone to plan over the past two years (ahem… global pandemic). Or, imagine 2700+ days that haven’t gone to plan over the last nine years (ahem… children)? Ha. A day that doesn’t go to plan, that’s a good one interviewer person.

That’s. basically. every. day.

A better question might be – imagine a day you had planned out and then that day actually went according to your plan, what would you do? Hmmm.

If I were my own best friend I might suggest to myself to stop planning so much. Maybe it’s good to have a general plan but not so many specifics? Maybe it’s better to simply accept the plan will change (although I think these past two years may have achieved that for me.) I expect each day to not go according to plan. I wonder, is that realistic or pessimistic? I used to be a bit more optimistic, I think.

Despite all of my broken plans I keep on planning. Each day is a chance to do a bit more. An opportunity to move the needle a bit in the direction I want to go. A chance to make a difference. So, I think, even if the plans never go the way I expect, at least if I keep making them then I still have hope for each day. For me, making plans means I still care.