It's pretty obvious that here at Make Me A Plan we love to be organised and thrive on a good plan. Plans can be for acting on immediately or can help you towards a long-term goal of 5/10 or even 20 years. That may seem a little excessive but bear with me, because proactive preparation of the future can be a great way to help you to keep track of your investments in yourself and help you to get the life that you’ve dreamed by making a decision to actively consider what may happen in the future and the consequences of your current decisions.  

Now don’t get me wrong, no 10 year plan will be perfect, but it will help you to consider the behaviours and habits that you have now and how they can influence your future in 10 or 20 years from now.

Planning the weeks and months can help to shape our current experiences and life lessons and give us instant gratification but planning for the long-term is much like a financial investment where you are expecting to get the pay out in the long-run. If you continue to monitor and develop habits that pay off in the long-term you will eventually arrive in your future at the place you planned to be and enjoying the benefits of the hard work you have put in to get there.  Planning for the future helps us to invest our time rather than just spend it.

Here are some ideas to start you on your journey to destination future…

Invest in yourself; Learn a skill or read books on topics of interest, reading helps our brains to grow, change and form new connections. Reading for just 15-20 minutes a day can improve focus and is one of the best ways to relax, reducing stress and has even been said to boost emotional intelligence.

Find time to do something you enjoy or would like to try, writing a book, starting a blog, painting, coding, singing or learning a craft. This can have several benefits including creating a better work/life balance, making you feel happier, and can even become a stream of income helping you to step away from a job that may be stressful for you and towards any career goals you may have.

Invest in your physical health; Walking has huge health benefits and when it comes to long-term planning, it is easier to protect a healthy body than it is to repair it. Movement strengthens muscles, slows memory loss and can increase brain size. Gentle exercise is good for the body and has been shown to be an effective way to prevent depression.

Invest for yourself; Create a savings account that makes it easy to save for your future. Arrange a direct debit to take the money out as soon as you get paid so that you don’t notice it is gone.

Long-term planning is difficult and requires a commitment to proactive behaviour. The good news is that sustaining these behaviours and healthy habits will reward you well in the long-term, leaving you with a future that you’ll be glad you invested in.