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Today is the wettest day in history here in Phoenix. If you don’t live in the Southwest, you might not realize what a big deal that is. We have major flooding. In just four hours, we had almost half a years worth of rain, a total of 2.96 inches at the airport. One of our major freeways is completely under water.

Despite the flooding and inconvenience, most of us here in Phoenix love the rain. We don’t get it often so we love to take advantage of these times. Unfortunately, though, the change in weather can create a change in our schedules. Many of us are unable to get to work. Schools are even closed.

So what do you do when the “weather” affects your schedule? And by weather, I mean anything that was unexpected or unplanned.

One of the steps I walk my coaching clients through is setting up contingency plans.

A contingency plan consists of having a list of tasks or activities you can do when Plan A doesn’t work out. (Click to Tweet)

Here are some reasons you may need a contingency plan:

  • The weather creates a forced change in your schedule.
  • Children, husband or you wake up sick.
  • Your car decides not to run (even the best cared for cars can run into issues from time to time).
  • A friend or relative has an emergency that you need to help out with.
  • Your scheduled appointment or meeting cancels or doesn’t show.

These are just some of the times that having a contingency plan can be beneficial.

You may need a variety plans depending on the situation. Obviously, if you are sick, you might not be able to get as much done as if you are just having to care for your children or husband who is sick.

How to Create a Contingency Plan in 3 Easy Steps

  1. Identify the issue(s) to plan for.
  2. Make a list of people you may need to contact in specific instances.
  3. Create a list of tasks that you CAN do to stay productive despite the change in plans. Ideally, this will be an evergreen (perpetually relevant) list. Rather than listing specific things that must be done, list general tasks that can be done in that situation. For example:
    • Call Joan, Mary and Rex.
    • Follow up calls.

That’s it. Create these contingency plans for each different situation that is necessary and keep them on hand for a “rainy” day.

And remember…

dance in the rain

 

What kind of contingency plans do you have?
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