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Earlier this week on the Streets Talk call, Curtiss Weinstein, Chief Sales Officer for SafeStreets USA, made the observation “new people focus on the basics so that they do things right, experienced pros focus on the basics so they don’t do things wrong.”

Having a plan for what you are going to do each day is one of those basics. Imagine taking a family vacation without a plan. You gather the family into the car and take off. You have no destination in mind. No prior planning considerations have been given to where you will stay, where you will eat, and what activities you will take in on your trip. You also have no idea how long you will be gone. Seems ridiculous, doesn’t it?

As ridiculous as that example sounds, consider that all of us at some point in our careers might be guilty of the same thing when it comes to having a plan. We go through the motions. We show up and respond to whatever comes our way. And therein lies the problem.

Let’s consider the basics of planning your day. Start with preparation. You have heard “prior planning prevents poor performance.” It’s true. Ask yourself when you should plan your day? It’s not when you show up to work. The best time to plan your day is at the end of the prior day. That’s when you are tallying up your results for the day. It’s a good time to make course corrections and build them into your next day’s plan. Take a few minutes at the end of each day and write down a plan for the next day.

Notice I said write down a plan for the next day. You can do this old-school on paper with a pen or enter it into a digital device. Just make sure you put it down in writing. Writing crystallizes thought and thought motivates action. I learned that from Paul J Meyer. He also wisely pointed out that writing moves your plan from “a wandering generality to a meaningful specific.”

Include in your plan your schedule including specific appointments, what time you get to the office, and what time you will stop work. Also block out the times for each of the necessary activities you plan to accomplish. Create activity goals for the specific, measurable activities necessary to get accomplished.

File your flight plan. Just like a pilot, it’s important you communicate with the tower. Let someone know what your plan is so they can hold you accountable. This should probably be your boss. Nothing motivates action or creates focus more than allowing yourself to be held accountable to what you say you’re going to do.

If you plan in advance, write it down in detail, and file the flight plan, you are on your way to having a plan for the day. You have heard it said “plan your work, and then work your plan.” Now it’s time to work your plan. Launch into your day with confidence knowing that you have done the preparation up front that will allow you to be successful.

Whether you are doing this as a new person seeking to do things right, or as an experienced veteran committed to not doing things wrong, having a plan is a key basic.

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