Plan, Pray & Reflect

As we finish up our month on starting a new job off right, I want to finish with a practice I think is wise to incorporate with any career or life change: plan and reflect. There is so much value in planning both for logistical success and for mental health. This will reduce anxiety and stress as well as make you more successful in your new (or continuing) role.

Plan and reflect may sound like it could be time-consuming, but my suggestion is thirty minutes per day. Fifteen minutes in the morning to plan your day and fifteen minutes at the end of the day to reflect on what you’ve accomplished and to make note of anything you could have done better. This gives you the chance to regroup for the next day and succeed.

What does this look like? It could be done many ways, but I’ll tell you my preferred method. I do a practice called ‘Morning Pages’ where I spend ten minutes each morning writing without lifting my pen. I write to clear my head but also about how I want the day to go. At the end of the writing, I jot down any pressing to do lists items (I do try to keep this list to 3 or less items). I’ve continued to do this practice in the mornings for years.

For reflecting, use the same notebook and write on the opposite page that night. What went well? What would you do differently if anything given the chance? What would you like to do differently the next day? For any of you who have a hard time ‘turning it off’ at night, this is a great chance to clear your mind before bed as well.

Spiritually, I also recommend using each of these times to pray. In the morning, pray over your day and submit your plans to the Lord. In the evening be grateful, repent if needed, and release the day as you finish it up as well. The wonderful thing is that God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-24) so don’t hang on to any mistakes you may have made – mistakes are completely normal in a new job.

Don’t worry about anything instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done – Philippians 4:6

Becca Christensen is a Crossroads Career Board Member and the editor of this blog since 2020. She recently moved into accounting within the automotive industry. She’s an avid reader, an enthusiastic football fan, and competitive at any and all board games.