Experts often make wonderful improvisers. Or so it sometimes seems that way. The reality is that this ‘wonderful improvisation’ comes through decades of experience and practice which allows their skills to appear like second nature.
Most of us cannot undertake complicated work for any length of time without considerable prior planning. We must carefully analyse possible options and their likely outcomes based on previous projects of a similar nature.
If we fail to plan adequately based on the best scientific projections of the day, or simply leave fixing things until the last minute, the outcome it likely to be very poor indeed. There are many famous cases of this around the world – cities built below sea level on sinking land next to rising seas, politicians making decisions based merely on their own selfish interests rather than the good of future generations, the denial of climate change despite all the evidence.
The list goes on and any short-term benefit is grossly outweighed by highly detrimental outcomes in the medium and longer term.
But it isn’t just big issues like city planning and climate change that are impacted by a severe lack of forward thinking. Every day there are things we can do to make our lives run more smoothly. Making simple lists of tasks that need doing in a particular order, for example. Creating a timetable for when certain jobs need finishing by. Adhering to set deadlines at work.
Using a little time in preparation can save us an enormous amount of time later on.