A Common Planning Mistake to Avoid

Recently, I coached two clients on the same day, and interestingly, they were making the same planning mistake that many of us make when running a business.

They each had new products they were planning to launch.

The mistake? They expanded their schedule to fit the hours they thought were necessary to deliver the product instead of reverse engineering their schedules.

Reverse engineering involves starting at the endpoint first.

You decide how many hours you want to work and then create a system that allows you to work those hours.

Here’s an example of doing it the mistaken way v. what reverse engineering may look like:

The risks associated with the mistaken way:

Burnout: Overworking leads to exhaustion and reduced energy.
Lower Productivity: Working more hours doesn’t always equate to getting more done.
Life Imbalance: Expanding work hours can harm personal well-being and happiness.

Contrast those to the benefits of reverse engineering your schedule like:

Control Over Your Time: You set your work hours, avoiding burnout and achieving a better work-life balance.
Efficiency: Reverse engineering helps you meet financial goals with fewer hours, making your time more productive. You can achieve more in less time.
Customised Business: Design your business around your life, ensuring it’s sustainable and fulfilling.

This new way of planning helps you achieve your goals and ensures that your business supports your desired lifestyle.

P.S. Reverse engineering means you will need to think of new ways of delivering your value. It may take some brain power, and you might experience some pushback because our brains like to conserve energy (just in case a lion attacks).

If you need help with reverse engineering, email me, and we can chat.