There’s an old saying, “If you fail to plan then you’re planning to fail.” Often times sayings are simply lip service, but in this case, there is a reason to pay attention. There are a million reasons or excuses why we fail to plan – we’re too busy, too tired, too stressed. But taking a few minutes at the end of your workday, just before you go to bed, or before you start your day to write down a plan will work hugely in your favor.

Putting the plan in writing helps you create more accountability, schedule activities to accomplish your short and long-term goals, and allows you to think through problems and solutions at a deeper level. Like many of MAP’s top clients, you’ll become a daily, disciplined planner. Having this type of commitment to planning will get you stronger results. (Oh — and you’ll probably get more sleep!)

Do you ever have restless nights, tossing and turning in bed, and going through the mental list of everything you have to do the next day? Having a mental list is exhausting and far from productive. Moving to a written, typed or voice-to-text list will lift a great weight from your shoulders. It’s all there so you can’t forget. It also improves clarity, focus and a plan for navigating your upcoming day. The strategy or goals are set to some degree, right there in plain sight. You will feel more relaxed going to sleep and wake up feeling more confident in your upcoming productivity.

Business leaders and managers are overwhelmed. Everyone is wearing too many hats and working harder than ever just to stay afloat. Consequently, they’ve pushed planning to the back burner. And that’s a mistake, albeit a correctible one, fortunately, with the small, yet significant daily discipline of documenting what’s to be accomplish today, tomorrow, this week, etc.

Life is two-thirds planning and one-third delivery. Planning is a key driver in creating the goals and strategies that will deliver positive results. So, if you’ve been pushing planning to the back burner — stop and make it a priority. If you’re already losing sleep, what have you got to lose?