By Ksenia Kurenysheva
It’s so crazy to me how we have thousands of pieces of information on the internet about ‘how to enter the flow state’ and ‘get your life back together’, and nearly every single one of them tells you to create a to-do list, time block your activities, schedule everything through a calendar and so forth. Notice something in common? Yes, all of these things stem from intensely planning activities days, weeks and even months in advance.
Now it’s no secret that organisation is a key to living a mostly stress-free lifestyle, however, it is still extremely easy to fall into the trap of overplanning when this becomes your mindset every day. And yes, overplanning is an actual term.
In fact, overplanning is directly tied to perfectionism: it’s the need to know exactly what is happening, when and how, and be prepared for all possible scenarios. It occurs when someone excessively indulges in researching, discussing, planning and organising something, but never actually doing that thing.
Feeling called out? Don’t worry. You are most definitely not alone. Overplanning is a universal experience simply because it is a trap, and a way to mask, behind an unused safety net. It allows you to hide from the possibility of failing at something, and makes you inflexible to even the smallest of changes in rigid plans.
Now I know I’ve painted overplanning in a pretty bad light so far, however, there are also positives to this side of the equation. It allows you to feel more in control of your life, and provides you with an output source, meaning that your brain can free up valuable space for other things worth your memory.
The takeaway from all of this? Planning is an amazing strategy to stay in control and keep your stress levels at bay, however, overplanning can have the opposite effect on you, and possibly lead you to burnout. So, in simple terms: make sure you live life, not just plan it.
Further reading
Overplanning vs. Underplanning: How to Balance the Pros & Cons | Create & Thrive
Why Overplanning Is a Trap And How to Stop by Ashley Janssen.
