Planning and Executing — Finding a Balance

An important question that arises before starting any task is: How much time should I spend planning and actually completing the task? I find that this balance is especially crucial to optimize productivity, quality, practicality and satisfaction with the result. I find that too much planning can only slow down progress. Aiming for perfection is not the goal, aiming for progress is. In this article, we'll explore some strategies to balance planning and execution.

01 / In a Nutshell

How to balance planning and execution?

It is all about setting boundaries for planning to avoid being stuck analyzing, and start prioritizing high-leverage action. These tasks can range from day-to-day tasks to running a business.

Aiming for perfection is not the goal, aiming for progress is.

Here is a simple starter template I like to get started for any task or project:

Step 1 — Determine scope of the project

What's a rough estimate for completing the project? A couple hours? Days? Weeks? It's okay if this is a guess — you can adjust later.

Step 2 — Breakdown

Split the project into smaller, manageable parts that can be completed within a day and assign a rough time estimate to complete each of them.

Step 3 — Getting started

Focus on tasks that can be completed quickly. Pick one task to get started on, spend a maximum 15 minutes deciding on which task. Allocate a block of time to complete this task with breaks.

Step 4 — Start working

Now that the task is picked, allocate a block of time and work on it during the time you allocated with no distractions. Spend a maximum of 1 hour planning before executing, regardless of whether the idea is ideal.

Step 5 — Iterate

Once the time for the task is up, you can evaluate the quality of the work you've done. The fixes are now a new task, and restart from step 3.

02 / More Strategies

There are more strategies for balance

The Eisenhower Matrix

The Eisenhower matrix can be used for completing both long-term and short-term goals, allowing prioritization of tasks based on importance and urgency.

70/30 Rule

The 70–30 rule is mostly for perfectionists who focus on perfecting all the details causing slower progress.

The 70–30 rule encourages putting in 70% effort into any given task, and the remaining 30% naturally falls back into place. This approach pushes towards consistency in producing quality work, without getting lost into the details.

03 / Conclusion

Balance comes from experimentation

At the end of the day, balance between planning and executing comes from experimentation. The more projects attempted, the easier it is to determine the pattern that works best for you. It's always best to keep trying to complete rather than perfect, because that's the only way to create progress in projects.