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How to Plan Long Term


 

The Methods and Tricks I Use to Stay Motivated

Long term means basically more than a year. There are many methods for you to plan long term and stay motivated for that long. I use a few of them and they did work for me in the past. So, here are the tried and tested methods to plan and stay motivated for the long term:-

Rewind Planning:

Imagine yourself accomplishing the result on a specific date in the future. Think about what you'll be doing as the last step and the exact duration. Then what will you do before that and for how long? And so on. It is basically reverse planning and is a very effective method for long term goals.

For example,

If I want to send my novel to a publisher on 1st January 2023, I will take 2 months to complete my last draft. Then I will have to complete my third draft by 31st October 2022, which will take 3 months itself, meaning: I will have to complete my 2nd draft by 31st July 2022, which will take 4 months. Ergo, I will have to finish the first draft of the novel by 31st March 2022. 


I also use it with my study schedule for every semester, so I can say that it can also be used in short-term planning.

Breaking Large tasks into Small Chunks:

If your goals are too large for you to understand and improvise properly, break them into bite-size tasks. Make it as small as possible and write them down in your to-do lists or wherever you record them.

For example,

The deadline for my first draft is almost 7 months from this date, so I will break my schedule into chapter wise or section wise goals. Like maybe I will complete my first chapter in a week or maybe in three days. 

But you will have to make exact goals, with no maybes.

Deadlines:

For each of your tasks, give yourself a specific deadline and mark it on your calendar. Stick to it and somehow complete the task by that time. When you do so, you will feel more motivated to do all the other tasks as you have accomplished something on time.

For example,

I will complete 5 chapters by 31st August 2021, so I will mark them on my calendar and try to reach the goal on time.


Mark the Dates on the Calendar:

Your calendar should have the same information that is in your brain. Because if you write things down, you feel more motivated to do it than when it is just in your head. Create small milestones and mark them on the calendar along with the last date. It will make it feel more real and you will want to complete it. 

For example,

I mark the dates of completion of the drafts as well as my ultimate due date on the calendar. But I also marked the smaller milestones (like completing my first chapter) on the calendar too. 


Remember Your Why:

Why did you start the project in the first place? Why is reaching the goal so important to you?
You should always remember the reason for working so hard. If you forgot about that, then there will be no reason left for you to move forward. You are bound to feel demotivated because whatever motivated you in the first place is no longer there,
 
I suggest writing your reason down somewhere you always can look at it. Reading the reason for all the hard work you will be doing will make you thrive,

Celebrate:

Small victories are victories, nonetheless. Celebrate whenever you accomplish even your small goals. You have made that happen and so, you deserve to be happy about that. Treat yourself to a bar of chocolate or a night out with friends, or whatever you love doing the most. It is a great way to motivate yourself.

Raise the Stakes:

One of the best ways to accomplish something is to avoid a loss. What will you do if you were not able to achieve the small tasks on time? Give yourself a punishment. It can be 100 crunches or giving your best friend money. It is a highly effective way to motivate oneself.

For example,

If I am not able to complete my chapters by the deadline, I will do an extra hour of exercise that day.

Habit not Motivation:

Be a creature of habit, not motivation. Work daily at the same time for your goal. Do not slack off very often and soon,  you will want to do it more. It is the best way to keep yourself motivated.

Vision Board:

You can always create a vision board with pictures that resemble the most to the future you are working so hard for. Keep it at a place you would see every day and analyze the pictures, imaging yourself there. It will help you work harder to get that future.


Don't go for perfection:


It's okay to skip sometimes. None can keep up to the perfect schedule. Sometimes, you will feel no energy or something very important will come up. Even if you plan, you can not avoid all the uncertainties, so you will need to be prepared. On the days you slack off, work extra the next day or next week to make up to the point you would have been if you would have not skipped.

So, these were the techniques that I use. Please comment if you know of more such tricks, and read, share and comment if you like the content.

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