I am a habitual planner. I take comfort in my plans. It gives me a sense of order and control over my life. And while I do admit the occasional surprise can be thrilling, in general, I like to know what is coming next. But, as we all know, life does not always go according to plan. In order keep myself from suffering continual disappointment, I have had to change the way I look at my plans.
Here are some of the strategies I employ when planning:
Place more emphasis on your desired outcome than on how you will get there. You don't have to write out every detail for how you will travel from point A to point B, just put it in your plan to arrive there.
When creating broader plans just won't do, stick to daily plans, or weekly plans with manageable tasks in them.
Be gentle with yourself. Flexibility is the name of the game. Life changes and plans must change with them. Even if you're only making daily plans, a lot can happen in the course of the day that can change your original course of action.
Look at your plans as a starting point, or loose guidelines, rather than a manual to be strictly followed.
I hope these suggestions help you as they have helped me. Happy planning!