I’m curious: WHAT do you plan?
There are people who plan for vacations in excruciating detail, but the school year seems to sneak up on them every September as if it was a complete surprise, and their kids end up with only half the items on the supply list and the family in debt because they paid top dollar. In June, the arrival of “next year” was virtually assured, but they chose not to buy anything when it was on sale.
There are folks who make lists (and lists of lists) for each day of the week, but haven’t taken a real holiday in years because they can’t figure out how to make that happen.
Or people who have their finances in such an order it would make an accountant drool, but dinner each night is a complete free-for-all.
I think a lot of people focus on the mechanics of planning – todo lists, kanban boards, sticky notes, apps on their phone; first thing in the morning; last thing before bed – but miss the idea that what we plan for is more important than how we get the planning done.
Part of the essence of the month of Elul is planning, both the how (getting up each morning and saying extra prayers; and/or carving out time in the day to consider our choices and their impact over the last year;) as well as the what: who we hope to become and the steps we need to take to get there.