Planning for New Year

It’s a delightful time to have you with us. This is our second session, which I have titled “Planning for 2026.”

I am here to help us adopt a few practical steps as we prepare for the year 2026.

One of the questions I asked was: Why plan?
Today’s session gave me insightful responses. Here are the key words that stood out:

  1. Areas we are working on or building

  2. Adjustment

  3. Achievement

  4. Goals

  5. Priority

  6. Where are we going (vision) or what we want to achieve

  7. Tracking and record keeping

  8. Guidance

  9. Accountability

All these words carry significant weight when it comes to planning.

I believe we are all aware of the phrase, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” It is evident that planning is a necessary discipline, and those who have practiced it have enjoyed its fruits. I hope to excite you to plan—or rather, to take action in planning—for the year 2026 and the years ahead.

I will suggest a few systems or practices for the coming year:

  1. Quarterly Quests. This is a borrowed phrase that I have found useful. It aligns with the 12-week year planning framework, which has proven valuable in my life. I recommend it to anyone planning for the year ahead. In brief, it means assigning a few manageable activities or tasks to be achieved within three months. On my end, I have divided 2026 into four quarters, each with a number of goals. For example, working on the Python language in Q1.

  2. Vier Tier Framework. This is a term I have coined, borrowed from time blocking. The framework divides the day into four time-based parts:

    • 7–11am: Morning dive – initiating key tasks, building momentum, and setting the tone

    • 11am–3pm: Day break – peak performance and sustained focus

    • 3–7pm: Transition hours – collaborative activities

    • 7–11pm: Night watch – consolidating gains

    This framework can help you manage your time and balance your activities.

  3. Embracing Root Cause Analysis and thinking in first principles. These two concepts can do “magic” for your plans.

  4. Second Brain. Using a digital workspace to keep your notes. You can consider tools like Notion, ClickUp, or Obsidian. My favorite has been Notion, which I have used for over two years as of 2025.

  5. Vibe coding. This has been one of my best hobbies this year, and I can suggest it to any tech enthusiast when planning.

  6. Diarization (writing a diary). Keeping a written record of activities you want to achieve.

  7. Active recall. For learners, I recommend integrating active recall methods into your learning plans.

  8. Eisenhower Matrix.

    • Urgent & Important (Do First): Deadlines, emergencies, critical problems

    • Important but Not Urgent (Schedule): Planning, relationships, personal growth

    • Urgent but Not Important (Delegate): Interruptions, emails, meetings

    • Not Urgent & Not Important (Eliminate): Time wasters, busywork, distractions 🤯

  9. Reading books. One of the best ways to plan your year is by reading. At the beginning of the year, you can list the books you want to read. I have been reading consistently for about eight years, and I have found it deeply insightful and valuable.

As you begin the new year, you can consider this framework:

Plan → Act → Review → Adapt

These four parts make planning more meaningful. On my end, I do weekly reviews on Saturdays, quarterly reviews at the end of March, June, and September, and a yearly review in December. I usually begin my end-of-year review a week or more before the year ends, around the 22nd of December.

I should also emphasize acting. A yearly plan becomes meaningless if no action is taken. Adopting the right systems, such as calendarization (using a calendar system—I use Google Calendar), places you in a better position to act on your plans.

You should also remain adaptable. You don’t have to do everything exactly as written or planned. We constantly experience new seasons and life changes. You may decide to pause or adjust certain plans for various reasons. In 2025, I had to adapt several plans, and I believe it was necessary.

As we move into the next year, let each plan carry a bigger vision—that the Lord is glorified.


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