The real problem isn't planning itself but our perception of it. As the American meditation teacher Joseph Goldstein puts it, "a plan is just a thought." We often treat our plans as if they are a lasso thrown from the present around the future to bring it under our control. However, a plan is merely a present-moment statement of intent. It's an expression of your current thoughts on how you'd like to influence the future. The future, of course, is under no obligation to comply.

When we have too many activities to fit into our schedules, we feel unpleasantly busy; when there are too few, we feel bored. If we manage to keep up with our schedules, we congratulate ourselves for 'staying on top of things' and feel justified in our existence.