Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” It still amazes me how true it is, even today. It shows that planning is a very basic aspect of getting through your challenges and reaching your goals.
With the help of Darren Hardy’s Sunday planning system, you can reach more goals and save more time, all by using his technique of organizing a whole week ahead.
According to Hardy, this planning method “changed his life on a whole new level”, and hopefully, yours will change, too. Using this system will help you focus on what you need to do, and what you can leave behind.
To understand what Sunday night planning is all about, you must first grasp this one thing: You are always confronted with choices. The choices you make will affect the rest of our goals and responsibilities.
Whether big or small, your choices will determine the outcomes that you may or may not want. Simply put, whatever you decide for the whole week will result in what you will have in the future weeks, months and even years.
And to encourage you, many successful entrepreneurs and employees are already reaping positive results out of this weekly planning system.
So, if you want to learn more about this technique, keep reading.
Table of Contents
What is the Sunday Planning System?
Darren Hardy learned this productivity method at a chance meeting with a 94-year-old businessman named Connie. Darren was intrigued by him, and by this, he learned how to organize tasks for a whole week in 3 goals, and possible distractions from the main goals.
The Sunday planning system is a technique that allows you to review the previous week’s activities, list your goals, and focus on achieving your goals.
That might sound intimidating, but I promise you it isn’t.
Sunday night planning sessions are very important, especially when you feel that everything you do is not in place. You may have the energy, motivation and ambition to succeed in your field, but without proper planning, you’re doomed to fail.
How to Use the Sunday Planning System?
The goal of the Sunday plan is to organize your tasks, prioritize the important ones, and avoid any distracting tasks listed.
In using this system, you have to plan for strictly 15 minutes of Sunday evening. You need to list your three main goals for each day, from Monday to Saturday. This is analogous with the Bible’s story where God created the world in 6 days.
And there will be miscellaneous tasks that you might expect along the way. So, in this system, you will also list them under the “Devil’s vortex”.
By listing your three main goals and other tasks, you can reflect on whether you’re really focusing on your goals week after week. And by then, you could make the necessary changes to accomplish tasks that align with your goals.
So, how do you use the Sunday Planning System?
Follow these steps:
- You need a piece of paper to write down all your tasks in one place first. This will get everything in your head in one place, which in turn helps eliminate anxiety about anything you might miss during the week.
- Next, on a separate piece of paper, divide the writing space into four sections. The first three sections are where you will allocate tasks based on your big 3 priorities.
- The least important ones should be listed in the fourth space. Darren calls this the ‘Devil’s Vortex’.
Now there will be some things that might randomly happen-and that’s fine. This shouldn’t bother you, since you will have a fixed plan and your focus will be in the right place if you’re dedicated to finishing your tasks.
3 Secrets to a Successful Sunday Planning System
Darren Hardy also shared the main secrets behind the potential of his Sunday plan:
Secret 1: Seek Big Goals
He encourages you to seek big goals (Luke 12:48), where it says “unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.” For Darren, it’s a sin against God not to maximize your abilities and talents. The size of your life will be determined by the size of the problem you choose to solve. To put it simply: bigger risks reap bigger rewards.
Secret 2: You Cannot Serve Two Masters
Hardy mentions that a whole-heart devotion to priorities, as exemplified in Matthew 6:24, means you cannot serve two masters. He explained that one task should be finished for a whole day, wholeheartedly, no matter how long it takes to finish. And after that, you move on to other tasks in your priority list.
Secret 3: Genesis Deadlines
He calls this next secret the “Genesis deadlines”, as based on the creation story where God made the world in 6 days. For him, it’s an illustration of what you can do in a week’s time. He explains that if you have unreasonable deadlines, you will be more motivated and driven to perform our tasks, and thus accomplish your goals for the week.
There are also actions to keep in mind that Hardy asserts:
Action 1 – Find leverage functions, projects and priorities to allocate time, attention and capacity. Put first the goals that you know will benefit you the most.
Action 2 – Focus on one project and priority, every day, to give devotion to it. By finishing it will allow you to finish other tasks you might have on that day.
Action 3 – Force the deadlines upon yourself, colleagues and family. By doing so, you subsequently pressure your talents and abilities to meet your deadlines.
Once you keep these tips in mind, planning your week will be easier for you. Just make sure not to overwork yourself, as you need some rest along the way.
Why Use a Sunday Planning System?
- It keeps you organized. Imagine yourself being able to do almost exactly what you have planned throughout the week, with little or less stress. It may sound like an ideal scenario, but that’s the joy of a Sunday night planner.
- You can be ready for the coming week. The best way to manage your time and effort properly is to plan for the coming week. Sure, there are going to be emergencies and unexpected situations. But having a road map for your goals will make it easy for you to get back on track and finish what you started.
- Having a weekly plan identifies your priorities. By weighing in what matters most, you will quickly realize that there are other tasks that you can set aside.
- Preparation paves way for your life’s fullest. A prepared plan also allows you to focus on your way of living life to its best potential. In turn, it improves your work-life balance.
- It greatly reduces the overwhelming workplace stress. With proper planning, every task and event will be done on time, no matter how hard the work will be.
- A well-made plan ensures better eating habits. The planning system also ensures that your daily meal plan will be prepared ahead. That means you don’t need to wonder what you should eat at the cafeteria or restaurant.
- And most importantly, planning saves you a lot of time. Remember that time is gold, and it’s the most valuable asset you always have while you live. This will help you determine what and when you need to get things done.
Tips on How to Make Sunday Planning a Habit
I listed below some tips on how you can use the Sunday planning system. The points below will help you understand why you need to do each of them so you can be ready for the coming week.
- You must review your previous week’s activities. Reflect on what you did well, and think about what you can improve in your delays and missed appointments.
- Check your calendar. This is for you to see what tasks and events are coming up. You will also set your tasks for each day of the week here.
- Prioritize your tasks. Don’t just do everything at once. Identify the ones that you need to do the most.
- Schedule the tasks for each day. This is more than just checking the calendar, but allotting tasks and objectives that you need to do on that certain day. Don’t overwork yourself out.
- Create a grocery list. Don’t wait for your office supplies and personal care items to run out before you need to buy. This goes for your weekly food as well.
- Make a meal plan. By doing so, you can save a lot of money, rather than spending money to buy meals from fast-food chains and restaurants.
- Make sure to review your entire week’s plan. It will help you reflect on what points you might have missed and rearrange them.
- Prepare for the Monday rush. Sunday night should not scare you about the hustle and bustle that the next day brings. That is if you have everything ready, from the clothes you will wear to the food you set for each day of the week.
- Be realistic. Don’t sweat it out too much for scheduling too many tasks in a day. That’s a bad start. It’s far better to start listing a handful of tasks than listing a dozen and be stunted halfway through the week.
- Expect abrupt changes. Life happens as it is, and you need to change plans along the way. Be always ready and anticipate any needed adjustments.
- Don’t make it complicated. Keep your plans simple and easily understood. Make sure that you can remember what you jot down in your journal. Make sure that you have at least 15-20 minutes between every hour and a half of focused activity.
- Be consistent. Regularly set a time on Sunday night to be your dedicated planning session. In this method, being consistent brings you closer to a successful week.
What Are Other Things Successful People Do on Sundays?
Let’s face it: Sunday night is not everyone’s favourite as it ushers in the Monday rush. But successful people have no reason to be intimidated by it. When you’re prepared for the week ahead, you can be successful, too.
Aside from organizing, successful people spend quality time with family, friends and their significant other. This boosts their motivation and willpower to face the coming weeks of hard work and pressure.
They are also keen on reading books to learn something new or remind them of what they already learned. Some of them unplug and unwind through meditation exercises.
Aside from that, they plan their sleep schedules, so they can enjoy the rest of their time and go to bed without any stress behind them.
Successful men and women also reflect on previous activities from past weeks. This helps them improve their planning and review what they will do for the coming week.
Mondays will come, whether we like it or not. So, having a positive mindset will help you get motivated easily for whatever you have planned.
Sunday Planning System (FAQs)
What is the Sunday planning system?
It’s a planning method by business guru Darren Hardy that organizes a consistent weekly plan. In this method, you would set aside 15 minutes on a Sunday night to plan your tasks under the Big 3 Goals and unnecessary tasks, which he calls the “devil’s vortex”.
How do you plan a productive week?
A person planning for the coming week needs to calm his mind as he focuses on the planning session. He also must prioritize 3 main goals and personal reminders. Avoid unnecessary miscellaneous tasks. It’s all about being focused on what and how you will achieve your goals.
Who is Darren Hardy?
Darren Hardy is an American motivational speaker and former publisher of SUCCESS Magazine. He is a New York Times best-selling author who wrote a couple of books about helping people succeed through lectures about self-improvement. He is notable for the Sunday Planning System and his lecture Secrets to Success.
What to Do Next?
Take note that having a Sunday planning system doesn’t mean everything will be in order. You should anticipate changes along the way.
But until then, realize that having a planned schedule for every aspect of your daily life will help you to continue with your business, work or studies.
So, where and how do you start organizing by using this method? You can start today, and by being consistent about it, you will see how great the results are.
But of course, start small. You can start by writing down 1 or 2 tasks in a list. Then, as you look at your calendar, sort out which ones you are planning to do on each day. Do this with no distractions and just focus on planning for next week.
After that, be determined to do it, even though you may feel it’s hard to start and continue. Nevertheless, you now have a road map of goals for next week.
Don’t be afraid to test it, as there’s no harm in trying. As John Maxwell said, “Successful people make right decisions early, ang manage those decisions daily.”
If you want more guides to productivity, check out our dedicated section, and see what helps you best.
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