I’ve been thinking about the difference between “planning” and “preparing” a lot lately. 

Pretty much everyone would agree that planning and preparation are both necessary for a large purchase or event (like a vacation). Few people see the advantage of applying the same thinking in their day-to-day lives, and yet, failure to do so can be just as costly as when considering a larger scenario.

Most of us move through our day reacting to whatever comes our way.  We may have a vague idea of what we want to accomplish, but find that circumstances and situations rapidly change those “plans”. The real problem is that we don’t prepare properly. The secret is to remember that planning is not the same as preparing. Planning assumes we have control of the situation – we rarely do. On the other hand, preparing is being ready within a situation.  This is much more doable with a system that makes sense.

The Productive Environment ProcessÔ was created to enable everyone to function effectively in their daily lives. It combines planning AND preparation. The very first step is “Design your vision”, that is, plan your success. The next steps, “Eliminate your obstacles” and “Commit your resources,” move us into preparation. As a Certified Productive Environment Specialist, I help complete that process of planning and preparation by helping “Select Your Tools” and “Maintain Your Success”.  The beauty of this is that, in the end, you have a custom system.  This does not mean there will never be interruptions.  What it does mean is that you are better prepared to handle the unexpected because you have a plan!