5 Reasons Why You Need Values-Based Planning

With the arrival of the new year it is a great time revisit our personal values. If you found yourself feeling overwhelmed or dissatisfied at any time this past year, it’s possible that feeling came from not upholding your personal values during day-to-day life.

Before the new year gets away from you, it’s worth taking a few minutes to revisit what your personal values are so you can honor them during your daily routine. After all, honoring values during daily life has been linked to increased happiness.

Here’s are five easy tips on how to honor your values during daily planning:

1. PRIORITIZATION
Having a long list of to-dos can make it more difficult to accomplish tasks. Instead of bringing order to the chaos in your life, a never-ending to-do list can actually lead to overwhelm or feeling like you’re not accomplishing anything.

Tip: Start your planning by prioritizing to-dos that honor your values first.

Example: If two of your values are family and creativity, prioritize your to-do list as it relates to those values. If family or creativity is high on your values list, the task of responding to unimportant items in your inbox should be completed after you spend time with your family or tackle your next creative project.

2. ACCOUNTABILITY
Knowing your values can also keep you accountable to making decisions that lead to personal satisfaction and positive growth.

Tip: The next time a new project lands on your desk, do a check-in with your values before you say "Yes" or "No."

Example: If you’re an affiliate blogger, and you’ve built your reputation on values important to you such as honesty and transparency, a values check before saying "Yes" to any new project is important. If a new promotion lands on your desk for a company whose product has impossible outcomes, saying "Yes" to the project could lead to the unintended outcome from compromising what is truly important to you.

3. BALANCE
Let’s be honest: Work-life balance often feels like a myth. But mapping out your values can help you find balance in your life, no matter how busy or crazy it may seem.

Tip: Use your values to plan out your schedule. When your week is filled with lots of activities, write them down and re-create a balanced to-do list that honors values among the minutia.

4. AUTHENTICITY
It can be easy to get buried in what everyone else is doing, especially when it feels like others are succeeding where you’re struggling.

Tip: Rather than taking shortcuts, stick to your values. When you practice your own values, you’ll be living sincerely.

Example: A friend of yours recently bought [something material you want], and you find yourself jealous. But checking in with your values allows you to move on because the material thing doesn’t fit in with your values anyway.

5. HAPPINESS
Values-based planning gives you the ability to prioritize and keep yourself accountable, the ability to find balance and live an authentic life, which all leads to a happier you.

Tip: At least yearly, spend one quick hour really getting clear on the values most important to you to kick start your goal setting.

2 Responses

Lori

January 08, 2017

Is the printable digital download size bigger than the bound book? I need 8.5 X11 as I have big handwriting.

Steph

January 05, 2017

Hi Rebecca it’s Steph David, just wanted to let you know I quote you a lot during my nutrition workshops as they are values and goal based and wanted share how amazing I think your work is. Here is my website I was able to launch it in addition to my personal health consulting business with your planner while teaching, bodybuilding, making jewelry and being a mom. stephdavid.net… thank you!

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