Quarterly planning is like family meals...

My wife and 3-year-old son spend every minute we are not working together and time around the table is the most important part of our day. It’s time to relax, share, laugh, reflect, and enjoy each other's company. Over the past 3 years, I have learned, however, that there are two ways for us to spend this time. Planned or Panicked.

Planned: We set aside 2-3 hours on Sundays to outline what we want to eat for the upcoming week and go to the grocery and farmers market for fresh produce and organic ingredients. We also make sure to factor in occasional snaking if/when plans change. Yes, it’s a little more expensive and takes 2-3 hours out of our weekend but this creates a routine that allows for a stress-free environment day after day, week after week. (Aside from the occasional toddler meltdown lol)

Panicked: Now the flip side to planning is just "winging it". I know life gets crazy sometimes and we have to improvise. Fast, beige, processed, junk foods in the air fryer get the job done but, honestly, never fill us up, doesn't make us feel good, and usually leaves us snacking throughout the day. Then there are the panic moments. The “Let me see what's in the fridge” narrative only to find that we are out of microwavable nuggets and I have to pay a TON for last minute door dash or I find myself making 2-3 trips to the grocery each week reacting to my toddlers demands. This tension is felt by everyone and I often find myself dreading this important time spent together.

This is not unlike quarterly planning within a Marketing organization. It takes a little longer to make a plan as a team and enforce it but the benefits are less stress, fewer surprises, healthier systems, more impactful work, higher morale, and almost no chaos. You can still operate a company in a constant state of panic, rushing and reacting to internal and external noise but the cons far outweigh the pros in my opinion.

Would love your thoughts on this in the comments below.