Do Your Plans Have Action Items

Planning is a crucial element of success. To-do lists keep us organized, grocery lists help us to navigate the stores, and writing down our schedule helps us remember when to pick up the kids from soccer practice.

However, what happens if we keep planning, but never actually end up doing?  Successfully reaching a goal requires planned actionable steps, not just ideas and optimistic thinking. This is particularly true when a plan or goal is complicated or requires a variety of moving parts. 

When we give our clients programs, we have laid out a full plan for them - but that plan won’t come to fruition unless the client completes their program. A trip that is planned won’t happen unless you pack your luggage and get to the airport. 

We think of these keep steps when we plan something new or have a new goal that we would like to achieve. 

  • Highest priority long term action items - these are the main part of the plan AND take time

  • Lower priority long term action items - these are the additions to the plan that are going to take more time but are not crucial at this time 

  • Highest priority short term action items  - crucial elements that take between 5 - 20 minutes 

  • Lower priority short term items - the bonuses, extra actions that help the plan succeed

  • 5 Minute Check Boxes - these tasks are neither urgent nor time intensive but assist in the goal

What this would look like in practice:
Plan: Lose 10lbs and create healthy eating habits

Highest priority long term action items
- Learn how to eat my food plan that fuels my workouts and helps me towards my goals
- Complete a workout plan that compliments my goals
- Focus on one long term habit that I would like to change 

Lower priority long term action items
- Brainstorm a long term action plan after losing the 10lbs
- Create  other goals that can accompany my weightless 

Highest priority short term action items
- Take progress pictures
- Donate or remove food that doesn’t support my goals from the house
- Purchase a scale to track weight
- Check in with my coach

Lower priority short term items
- Try cooking something new that includes a new vegetable
- Incorporate a piece of fruit every day 

5 Minute Check Boxes
- Download myfitnesspal to track food
- Set alarms to make sure you get to sleep on time
- Filling a bottle of water before the day starts 

Clare Michalak