Create the 5 year plan

This article looks at how you can create your own, personal 5 year plan. Set aside a couple of hours, clear your brain of all the stuff that is there [either right it all down, share it or do it!]. You can either use an excel spreadsheet to do this [which is the preferred method] or you can use paper. On a piece of paper right down all the things you want to achieve in the next 5 year, include some things that are a challenge to do, or things you think that you cant do. If you are doing this with others then give them their own paper and ask them to write down all the things that they want to achieve. Ok, now its time for the actual 5 year plan. On the top row [column B] give each column a month for 60 months, that’s the 5 years. Don’t be scared about doing this, just do it. In column A list each person and their activities and goals for the next 5 years. Now plan out how long these will take, if you dont know the exact time then approximate, it doesn’t matter. For example if its October 2012 now and you want to be in a new house for 2013, you could write ‘move house’ as one of your goals. If you are attending a degree that started in September 2010 and it finishes in 2013, write that down. If you want to change jobs then write that down. Anything, and everything you can think of, even if you want to have children or if you are single and want to get married- write all these down!

Action item	Sept 11	Oct 11	Nov 11	Dec 11
How to move House	Develop action plan	Look for properties	Find place, contract	Give notice, ready to move
Degree	Start- month 1	month 2	month 3	month 4
House repairs	Contact builder	Create plan	Plan permissions	Review design

Example above. Now for each item, step by step, work out a time line. It doesn’t need to be 100% accurate because you will probably end up moving things up and down, especially if you are doing it for your family. When I did this again recently there were some key things that were fixed- for example our ages, the year of the children’s school, when we would complete our degrees etc. Sometimes it is best if 1 person does this and then shares it with others. Now is the time to have the discussion. In project management I would say look at the peaks and the times when there is some slack and try and balance your programme. Now talk about it, what can be bought forward, what can be delayed for a few months. Do you have to move house in 6 months, or can it be 9? Why wait 2  years to get married when you could do it in 6 months? This plan is the start of your future and will enable you to have some targets.   WorkingMuslim