I recently reacted to a LinkedIn post that was reminding us we are in control of our working lives, and that we should not feel we are stuck in a rut. My response was:

‘This is a fresh perspective for those of us feeling in a rut! We are in control of our working lives. If we are not happy, let’s change! I know the job market is challenging at the moment, but take that first step to work towards the working life you want. This could involve finding a mentor, starting some training, drawing up ideas for a side hustle/self employment, updating your CV, writing a five year plan…’

Anyone can write a five year plan. Whether you are employed, self employed, contracting, just gone on maternity/paternity leave, unemployed, a student, or facing retirement. A five year plan, actually, any amount of years plan!, is just that… a plan of action you devise to take to get the life you want to live, whether it be retirement, your academic future, parenthood, a promotion at work, a sidestep into a different industry/role, anything! It can be a financial plan, an academic plan, home renovation, a career plan, a return to work plan, a what to do when I retire plan, a plan for self employment or starting up your own business.

There are those of us who are content to drift through life, there are those of us who need to be following a plan, who like to be organised, and there are those of us who move between the two as life changes. The last category tends to be me, I hold my hand up now! My plans have always tended to be quite loose as I enjoy the flexibility to not be tied into a single direction. (For example, this post was not what I had planned for this week.) I have things I want to achieve and I go after them, and timescales I want things to be done in and I achieve those also. But they are all headed into a direction, not a specific outcome as I want to be able to react to changing climates and changing circumstances. I also like to be able to take advantage of opportunities that come my way as I feel this broadens my experience and can influence the directions I wish to move in.

But that is how I approach a multi year plan, you may be different.

Here are some things to consider when creating a plan:

1. What is your goal?
   • Be as specific as you can be, but don’t be afraid to change this as your circumstances and the market changes
   • Break it down into categories or activities you want to achieve each year if you are able to
2. What is your timeframe for getting there?
   • Be realistic! Take into account you may not get as much accomplished during busy periods at work or in your personal life. If your goal requires outdoor activity remember that the colder months and shorter days will impact on this.
3. What do you need to do to get there and when will you do this things?
   • Do you have any courses or accreditations to get?
     • How much will these cost?
     • In what order should you do them?
     • How useful will they be, really? Make sure you aren’t putting extra pressure on yourself by doing a nice to have instead of a must have
4. Who can help you?
   • Who in your network can provide advice and/or guidance?
   • Do you need a mentor or a coach?
   • Do you family and friends know you may require extra support and/or understanding during this time?
5. How will you know when you get there?
6. How will you celebrate?
7. What are your next steps then?

This is a very basic plan of how to plan, and is just designed to get you thinking. The message I am trying to get across is… a plan, whether it be six months, five years, ten years, is just that… a plan. It can be used at any point in your life, for anything you wish to achieve personally, professionally, academically. Please don’t think that a plan is only for the self employed or those facing redundancy/being let go (although having a plan can help once you get over your initial feelings, or even with those initial feelings). A plan provides structure and direction for all of us who wish to achieve a specific direction or style of living.

Happy planning!

©Fiona Doney 2024