Planner or Wing It

I'm on my way over to Oslo and I have a few loose strings untied. It's little things that I obsessing about and turning them into big things. Some, I can't really resolve until I'm over there, so I just have to adopt the surfer attitude and ride the wave. But there a few things I'm obsessing about and I would like to resolve them before I go over. This is besides the point though...

I want to know are you a planner or a wing it kind of personality?

I'm a planner about every possible detail and hate surprises, deviations from the plan, and struggle horrifically when there is no plan. What about you?

I am a planner in every aspect of my life. Not that I don't leave room for changes or surprises but I want to know exactly what will happen. I don't like sudden changes or a break in routine.

I am a planner with military precision almost all of the time (it helps with a medical condition I have), but sometimes I just can't be bothered and I fly by the seat of my pants. I sometimes find that planning/being organised can be stressful and can take some of the enjoyment out of things, so I tend to enjoy myself a bit more when I just let go.

Have fun in Oslo!

I'm I wing it-er, except when it comes to navigating, then things must be ruthlessly planned. But I find that as long as you can accept your poor decisions, you do not need to fret over life.

I try with all my might to be a planner, I ask it of the gods to let me structure and harmonize events, but I always fail and end up winging everything. I think in my case it might be a mental disease given to me by putrid genes, or a curse by the gods.

I balance planning and winging.

To say that I wing it is putting it mildly. Pretty much everyday for me is a lesson in chaos.

I need just enough plan to understand what has to be done and then I wing it to completion.

This is what I wrote in my blog:
Now I am getting ready to go over to Oslo. I leave next Monday and return the following Monday with a 24 hour layover in Stockholm. My husband can't believe what happened. I fly into Stockholm at *** on Monday, but the next flight leaves at **** (the next day-Tuesday). The flight is through ******* Airlines- not sure what kind of reputation they have, but we were might miffed about this. So I guess I'll have a chance to visit Stockholm as well. I'm not complaining, but I feel like- what the hell am I going to do in Stockholm for 24 hours?

I know it's an amazing city, but 24 hours isn't much time, plus I have the baby (two years old) with me. This is the part of the trip that is really stressing me.

I actually hate planning things ahead of time, as it puts a lot of pressure on me and I feel obligated to stick to the plan, which makes me quite uncomfortable. So, I am more of a wing-it kind of gal, though I do tend to plan out my work-day, for example or sometimes tasks or activities that I have to do (I plan it in blocks of time so I can think about when I am 'free.'). But generally, you can't really plan for life... and when you do plan too much, things turn out sour or you get disappointed... that's why I find that having little or no plan leaves you open for more experiences and opportunities.

Lists, I love making a list. I write down in what order I am going to clean my house or garden and cross it off when I finish each task. When I go to the grocery store I first write a list of everything I need and then I re-write the list so things appear in the order I go through the store.

I have a list of what we eat each day of the week and when I vacuum and do other stuff.

Lists are the best.

I guess the ultimate question for me is, if you wing-it, are you successful? In other words, do you wingers, get to the same place as the planners, just as successfully without much thought?

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Originally Posted by Buh4Bee

This is what I wrote in my blog:
Now I am getting ready to go over to Oslo. I leave next Monday and return the following Monday with a 24 hour layover in Stockholm. My husband can't believe what happened. I fly into Stockholm at 10:15 on Monday, but the next flight leaves at 9:15 (the next day-Tuesday). The flight is through Scandinavian Airlines- not sure what kind of reputation they have, but we were might miffed about this. So I guess I'll have a chance to visit Stockholm as well. I'm not complaining, but I feel like- what the hell am I going to do in Stockholm for 24 hours?

I know it's an amazing city, but 24 hours isn't much time, plus I have the baby (two years old) with me. This is the part of the trip that is really stressing me.

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If you have a whole day and night, I would just stroll through Gamla Stan(old historical area of Stockholm). It's kid friendly and lots of bistros, pubs etc...and side streets if you want to get off the main area. You could have a Swedish coffee, or whatever. Very cool place for a day.

Most of my business trips have one day stopovers. I get to tick the box on at least one or two things and move on.

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Originally Posted by Buh4Bee

I guess the ultimate question for me is, if you wing-it, are you successful? In other words, do you wingers, get to the same place as the planners, just as successfully without much thought?

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Depends on what success I am looking for. On vacation/visits, I may just want to have fun - which is successful.

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Originally Posted by Buh4Bee

I guess the ultimate question for me is, if you wing-it, are you successful? In other words, do you wingers, get to the same place as the planners, just as successfully without much thought?

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Although I make lists as Helga says, they aren't very detailed. How that item on the list gets done is unclear, but when something on the list gets done, I cross it out. Success! A list is not a very detailed plan, in my opinion, but maybe for others it is.

As far as spending 24 hours unexpectedly in Stockholm with a 2-year old, it sounds like an adventure worth experiencing. In one of Laura Day's books on how to use intuition, she says that everything is good luck, even the stuff that doesn't initially look like it is.

EDIT: Something occurred to me about what makes things successful. I don't think it has much to do with whether there is a detailed plan or not so much as what needs to be done actually gets started. Things should not be put off until later if they can be done now. There are people who say one should "live in the now", but as far as action goes, one should "do it now" as well.

Hi all, this is my first post. Wondering if there are book clubs on this site? I always have trouble deciding what to read next, but book discussions seem to help.
Tom

Read Haruki Murakami Norwegian Wood. I just finished it and it is one of the best books I have read in a long time. But as for clubs there are, just go to the book club section on the main page.

I'm fairly good about planning work stuff; could be a little better there, but at least I do it and even enjoy it, but at home, that's another story. I dislike it intensely. Really I just end up avoiding getting done the stuff that needs to get done. What do you do when life feels overwhelming???? I try to be happy that I have done one thing.

Also it's true about being able to be flexible. Life is a picnic, might as well enjoy the crumbs!

In terms of travel, I think most people plan as much as they can or are tolerant of planning and then just go. I myself am sick of planning and am just going to go and will be fine. I've planned enough and accept the limitations of my control, so I feel good. The main thing is I have the resources to get myself where I need to go and no time pressure, so why really worry?

Absolutely, Buh4Bee. You've done all you can. Now's the time to go with the flow! Besides that Gamla Stan place sounds doable and fun:


http://www.visitstockholm.com/en/To-...amla-stan/1856

A bit of both, usually depending on my mood and situation. When doing something recreational, like going to the Zoo, some people like planning everything: "We're going to see the bears first, then the penguins, then the monkeys," etc. I like just going and walking around. Over planning takes the fun out of things. On my recent trip to London and Paris, I think I over planned things. In hindsight, I would have much rather gone to the Louvre and wandered about for a day instead of the long guided tour, even though I probably wouldn't have learned nearly as much.

I dislike details.

I suppose you could say I do both. I have a general guideline, a very loose one, and then I improvise and wing it when things happen.

I'm normally never 'present', though. I'm always thinking about what's going to happen, and all of the ideas and possibilities surrounding that.

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Originally Posted by tonywalt

I balance planning and winging.

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Originally Posted by YesNo

I need just enough plan to understand what has to be done and then I wing it to completion.

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I am on a somewhat similar track to you two: I do plan ahead, often meticulously (my current schedule at work stretches into 2015!), but: I also plan in order to be able to wing it when the situation requires it. I am old enough to know that most plans (particularly the detailed ones) will derail to at least some degree, forcing us to wing it quite often.

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Originally Posted by veggiefahmah

Hi all, this is my first post. Wondering if there are book clubs on this site? I always have trouble deciding what to read next, but book discussions seem to help.
Tom

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Hi Tom, and welcome to the LitNet. :wave: Have a look around here. I'm sure you will find plenty of the kind of discussions you are looking for.

/Claes

I like to plan everything, but I try to be flexible. I always have a contingency plan in the back of my head. For me it's about priorities. As long as I've done what's important I don't mind if rest is moved to another time.

I like to have a plan. It's like a road map, so I know where I'm going and I know the way, but that also gives me the oppurtunity to go off-plan without getting lost. That's why I love my budget. :lol:

I love lists. I have everything on lists. I don't always follow them, but they are like security blankets, hehe. I can be scatter brained, like BookBeauty mentioned. I'm forever day dreaming (and planning) and the lists help me remember and keep track of things.