April 2024 Planning Tips: Time for Spring Cleaning
What are some ways you might clear out the project clutter?
Next week, we welcome April, and (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) we are starting to see the light of spring and feel a newness in the air.
For me, it always brings a renewed sense of energy — as if waking up from a long winter's nap — and I'm able to take in the world with fresh eyes and a sense of wonder and possibility.
Hustle culture might call this moment "crunch time," encouraging us to use this energy to push harder, faster, and longer to get things moving before the summer slows hit.
But here at PF, we don't believe much in "crunching." When it comes to moving projects from idea to completion, the five Cs we prefer to use are Clarity, Concreteness, Commitment, Concentration, and Celebration.
As we march into April (see what I did there?😉) I want us to start with that first C: Clarity.
Because before taking that increase in energy and running head-long into your Q2 projects, it might be a good idea to get clear on what direction you want to run towards. To do some spring cleaning, if you will, to assess what's working, what's not, and where the application of your efforts might really move the dial.
It's an opportunity to clear out not only the physical detritus accumulated over the fall and winter seasons but to renew ourselves mentally and emotionally, too.
If we take out with the old and in with the new seriously: How are we choosing to refresh our physical and mental spaces?
Download your free April weekly planners and and see how a bit of clarity can help you clear the clutter to gain momentum on your April projects.
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April Planning Tips
This refresh can apply to your project planning as well. Here are some ways you might clear out project clutter:
What's left undone? Are any of your projects stuck in the creative red zone? Before jumping into something new, figure out what's needed to move that last project to done.
Take what worked and leave the rest. What lessons, insights, or accomplishments are you taking with you into this next season/quarter? Take some time to conduct an After Action Review of your Q1 projects to give yourself a headstart on Q2.
Spring clean your past projects. Give yourself a fresh foundation to launch from by getting rid of the physical and digital remnants of your past projects with some CAT work.
Let go of what's no longer serving you. Look at the projects taking up precious space in your head and heart. Which might you let go of so you can lighten your load?
Remember to dream. As you set course for this next season, make sure you include your dreams in the process—they'll provide a stronger gravitational pull when the clutter inevitably piles up again.
Do Your Habits Need A Spring Cleaning?
We can apply this same approach to our day-to-day lives and examine which habits propel us towards our goals and which may get in the way.
The difference with cleaning out our bad habits is we want to replace them with more constructive options. As Charlie wrote about recently on habit switching (re: support and resources to move towards flows and activities that better serve you):
“We all have parts of our day that we know we're not using as well as we could… that "I'm-not-using-my-day-as-well-as-I-can" feeling is our wanting to shift from destructive or neutral habits to constructive ones.”
Whether it's old clothes, projects, or bad habits, letting something go can be a difficult process—often, you're not just letting go of the "thing," but also of the story or past version of yourself, it's connected to.
If you hit up against resistance as you go through this process, recognize that what served you in the past may not serve who you are now or who you dream to be in the future. It's okay to leave the past in the past — the future is waiting for you.
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