Tag Archives: planning

I am a planner. Those who know my family would say I get this quality from dear old popsicle (my dad). I need to have a plan for everything.  For instance, I need to know exactly what I will be doing the next day.  Every night, I pick out an outfit for the next day, pack my breakfast and lunch, and decided what I will be having for dinner. I make sure I have an agenda. I constantly make “To-Do” lists and update my planner like it is my job.

I wouldn’t say I am crazy organized, but I really like routine and structure in my life.  For example, I will let my room turn into a total pig-sty, but there’s no way I will miss a meeting! I do organize my email into categories…one of my crazy quirks.  I break them down into personal, school, miscellaneous, etc. I can’t stand having emails back up in my inbox!

So what happens when a plan falls through? What if I planned the night before that the next day I would go for a bike ride instead of going to the gym, and it ends up raining all day? What if I schedule to meet up with someone, and they back out at the last minute?

My initial reaction: frustration. I get worked up easily, and until I take a step back, it is hard for me to look past the failed plan. As a grad student in special education, I know that need for routine is a common characteristic of individuals with autism.  Breaking the routine can result in temper tantrums and they can even become violent. Recognizing that the routine is not a determinant of daily success is something that helps those with autism.  Sometimes, I feel as though what I learn in my classes can help me with my own life.  Just because something didn’t go according to plan, I do not have to become broken down over it.

How do I look past these routines, though? I know that having a general daily plan is something I need to do in order to feel prepared to enter into the coming day.  But what can I do to help myself look past the need for exact structure throughout my life? Not everything can go exactly according to plan. Recognizing this, I feel, is a good step toward trying hard to stay positive through changes to the routine.

Are you a big planner? Do you need structure in your daily routine?

What do you do when something in your life doesn’t go according to plan?

My workout for today:

Another interval workout…seems to be the theme of the week for me!

• Warm-up: 3 minutes walking
• Set 1: (33 minutes total)
• 2 minute jog
• 2 minute run
• 1 minute walk
• 3 minute jog
• 3 minute run
• 1 minute walk
• 4 minute jog
• 4 minute run
• 1 minute walk
• 5 minute jog
• 5 minute run
• 2 minute walk
• Set 2: (14 minutes total)
• 1 minute jog
• 1 minute run
• Repeat 6 more times
• 5 minute jog
• Cool-down: 5 minute walk
• Total: 1 hour