to be not very good at planning ahead?

[springydaffs]

How do you get that planning ahead thing? I am embarrassed to say I am crap at it.

If someone says 'give me a date to visit but give me a month's notice so I can book a cheap train ticket', I am totally crap at that, completely can't get my head around it.

It's not a very good way to live eg not having A Plan. My nest is empty and I'm all of a dither these days (this too shall pass...). Any tips on how you do it re short term, long term, very long term etc?

This post goes to prove you are no good at forward planning

If you had planned ahead and put in on at a differebt time you might of got some replys

Oh I'm the opposite! I plan ahead way too much.

"Give me a date to visit" - do you have a diary or calendar?

I put all my appointments, social plans etc in my calendar. That means I can look ahead and say "I'm free on X date, how about then". It also means I can look ahead and think to myself, haven't got much on during September, maybe I should call some friends and set some things up.

That's not really A Plan though. Do you mean, you don't know what the next life stage is for you? It sounds a bit like that. I guess you could think about what you want your life to be like in say 5 years' time. Might you want to move? Would you like to learn something new? Would you like to meet different people? Etc. Then work backwards from there...

I use a filo-fax. Can't get head around electronic diary. I don't commit to anything without consulting it, as I unable to remember all the contents, but using it I am able to book lunches, etc a long way in advance.

I try to plan ahead too much, I struggle if you spring stuff on me with late notice. I may even freeze up and give up trying to do anything. I admire people who can do things last minute or with little notice.

Practice. Honestly, I used to be really rubbish (always late to things, forgetting appointments, always busy but seemingly achieving nothing). Then I had my third DS, I did not want to give up my date nights with DH, my social life, I did not want to to give up my hobbies and I did not want to give up my friends who did not have children. So I learned to be super organided. Yes, it took time and a bit of practice but now I live by my filo-fax (like sloggies, the e-diaries are not for me).

oh no, I'm mega-organised. I know where everything is, I am never late for appointments (or not usually), I know exactly what I'm doing when and where (and what my kids are doing etc). I'm just crap at planning ahead - you know, life plans, that sort of thing. I've been a mummy for ever and suddenly I'm not (iyswim) and life beckons but I'm still stuck in the mummy groove.

Come on! I can't be the only one, surely

Ahhh empty nest syndrome, very common indeed.

First, if a friend asks you when the best time to visit you is, get your diary out, find out what suits you and tell them. Whenever I find myself in danger of procrastinating I find it useful to ask what will be gained by waiting?

Second, ask yourself what is it you want to do? What do you see as your purpose, what do you want your purpose to be?

You have to know what you want to achieve for yourself. It will be impossible to formulate a plan unless you know what it is you are planning for. What short and medium term goals do you need to do in order to succeed in your ultimate aim? What are the timescales required?

It sounds simple and in essence it is: know your goal and plan to achieve it.

thank you Neptune! I've only just realised that this is what it is! nest been empty for a year but didn't realise I was floundering around a bit. It's gruesome, comes to us all (parents, that is)