5 signs you’re really bad at planning
(And how to fix it before it ruins your day)
Planning sounds easy enough – write a few to-dos, set deadlines, and go. But in reality? By your third coffee, you’ve already forgotten what you were supposed to be doing.
Whether you’re running a company, working remotely, or just trying to survive the week – when planning fails, everything else suffers too.
The good news? There are clear signs your planning isn’t working. The better news? There’s a way to fix it.
1. You’re always missing deadlines
You planned everything… on paper. But the task list is so long, just looking at it gives you heartburn. You think: “I’ll just do it all today.” Then noon hits, and you’ve crossed off three out of twelve tasks. Oops.
👉 Fix it: That’s not planning – that’s panic scheduling. Spread tasks across the week based on deadlines. You’ll feel less crushed and get more done.
2. Your to-do list is growing faster than inflation
Life is chaotic – wars, climate, viruses… but your planning doesn’t have to be part of that global mess. If everything is urgent, then nothing really is.
There’s always something just a bit more urgent than the rest.
👉 Fix it: Limit yourself to 3 key tasks per day. If something new pops up, ask: “Is this truly urgent or just loud?” You’re not a firefighter. You don’t need to put out everything.
3. You never have time for yourself
Days and weeks fly by in a blur of Zooms, emails, and panic. And then someone says "take a break" and you’re like: “What even is a break?”
👉 Fix it: Breaks aren’t a luxury – they’re survival. Try the Pomodoro method: 25 minutes of focused work, 5-minute breather. After four cycles, take a longer pause.
And seriously – use the break to rest, not scroll TikTok.
4. One small change ruins your entire plan
You’ve got everything lined up perfectly. Then BAM – the client wants to redo everything. New deadlines, new structure, and your beautiful plan?
Straight to the archive.
👉 Fix it: Build plans with wiggle room. Life happens – especially at 4:58 PM with an email titled “URGENT.” Flexibility isn’t failure; it’s strategy.
5. You keep jumping between tasks and finishing none
Five minutes on one thing, ten on another… and nothing gets finished.
Multitasking sounds cool, but most people are terrible at it (sorry, not sorry).
👉 Fix it: Group tasks by type. Got emails? Block time for "Inbox Mode":
- reply to suppliers,
- clear the inbox,
- handle anything urgent.
Finish one group before jumping to the next. Focus > chaos.
And here’s the most important part
Planning isn’t about talent. It’s about the right tools. You might know what to do — but not when or how — and that’s where Kloki comes in.
Kloki is the all-in-one planning tool built for small teams growing companies. From time tracking and vacation requests to clean, simple task management — everything’s in one place, and actually makes sense.
✅ Free for teams of up to 5 people
✅ All features unlocked, no hidden costs
✅ Easy to use, easy to love
✅ Finally, a break from Excel spreadsheets
If planning isn't your strong suit — now it can be.
With Kloki.