After a superb Christmas and New Years and a wonderful trip down south, it is back to reality for me. The year ahead will be just as hectic, and important, as last year. This year will be the last year of significant plan development for my organization's contingency planning program - after this year, all of our critical business lines and business units will be equipped with completely functional business continuity plans. While I am not indicating that future years will be any less crucial to the well-being of the contingency program, they will be focused on program and plan maintenance, testing and exercising, and awareness. Until then, I continue to try and balance building the program with maintaining and testing the program - not an easy task considering I am solely responsible for the program (as I have indicated in previous posts).
It would be easy to become discouraged with so much work ahead, but if there is anything I have learned during my career, it is that proper planning, resource and time management can quickly put fears and anxieties at ease. Year after year I dedicate a week or two to completing a detailed annual plan - goals and objectives, and the activities required to meet those goals and objectives, are plotted on a spreadsheet. Resource requirements and timelines are determined, and the plan is given a seal of approval from senior management.
Though I am sure there are other ways to address new year jitters, I find that this approach has proven effective for me. A lack of proper planning can lead to poor time management, missing targets, and will leave you looking and feeling disorganized and incompetent.
I am curious on what you do as a new year begins. Please feel free to share below!
Thanks,
The Continuity Blogger
