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The Non-Plan Plan

by Erika Torres
11 comments

Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.

Eric and I have been stressed to the max recently with work and school.

It was to the point where we almost considered canceling our trip to San Fran, but instead decided to go and use it as a time to de-stress and re-charge.

With previous trips, we’ve always gone with a specific purpose in mind and with a plan. This time, we had no purpose, no plans–simply go, have fun, and enjoy ourselves.

As a Type A personality, I love having a plan. The more information I know, the better.

In fact, one of my favorite things about going on vacation is the actual planning of the trip and researching where to go and what to do.

So for me to just go on this trip without making a single dinner reservation made me a bit…uncomfortable.

But I went with it, because frankly, I was too exhausted to make plans.

So we decided to go with the non-plan plan; we would just let the day take us wherever it took us.

And because of that, we were able to go to a San Jose Sharks game for free when a friend offered up first-level tickets.

Then, when we jumped on a cable car and ran into an old friend of Eric’s, we were able to join him and five others for a day of drinking in celebration of his birthday.

 It was honestly such a perfect weekend. We had SO much fun and it was exactly what we needed to recharge.

There was a perfect balance of having fun with friends, playing tourist, and relaxing.

I think that Eric and I have a really good balance when it comes to our personalities–in the sense that Eric is always up for everything, and I prefer to have a plan.

Having this balance between us has really helped us in making a lot of strides, between completing financial goals that help us move forward  while at the same time remembering to stop and smell the roses.

I’m not saying that I’ll ever be able to completely change my need to have all the info or stop color-coding my planner, but maybe it’s not all that bad to just go with the flow sometimes.

Are you a planner or a go-with-the-flow type personality? 

 

11 comments

Lisa November 14, 2014 - 5:27 pm

I always freak out when everything isn’t planned, but my fiance definitely helps me embrace spontaneity. Some of my favorite memories happened when I said “eff it” to my plans and went with the flow!

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NZ Muse November 14, 2014 - 1:44 pm

We fall along similar lines, but I’m not hardcore (I don’t colour code, etc). I do like structure but I’m not naturally organised, it’s kind of a struggle against myself!

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Ceci Bean November 13, 2014 - 9:12 am

Go Sharks!

I love finding places to stay and good flight deals. I can do that research for hours. But once I actually get somewhere, I hardly plan at all. My husband and I tend to wander and see what we stumble upon. Not sure what personality type that makes me!

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Alice @ Earning My Two Cents November 13, 2014 - 4:18 am

I am definitely a planner but I enjoy the flexibility of relaxing when on vacation so I try to plan general ideas of things to do and maybe a few hard plans. That way we can relax and let the day take us places but still have an idea of what direction to go in.

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Tre November 12, 2014 - 1:30 pm

I’m a planner but Mr Tre isn’t. Sometimes we travel his way & sometimes my way. I have to admit its fun to sometimes just go.

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OFG November 12, 2014 - 1:00 pm

I’m a planner. Sometimes I wish that weren’t the case, but ultimately it’s just who I am. I’d love a little more spontaneity in my life, but I typically need someone else to help me in that department.

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Revanche November 12, 2014 - 10:03 am

As a fellow Type A planner, there is something refreshing about letting go once in a while and just going with the flow, especially in SF. It’s a good place for that relaxing approach, I think. As long as you have your lodgings covered, you can roam and eat and whatever at will!
Glad y’all had a good time 🙂
(For a second I forgot you were still in SoCal and was excited to think we had Bay Area PF bloggers again, hah)

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Tonya@Budget and the Beach November 12, 2014 - 9:23 am

I’m typically a planner, but every once in awhile I force myself to just go with the flow. It is very refreshing. Glad you got to enjoy a hockey game! I’m jealous! 🙂

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cece November 12, 2014 - 8:48 am

Glad it worked out!! Sometimes go with the flow really will be okay even if we freak ourselves out by thinking it won’t be. I’m a planner. I’ve never done dinner reservations ahead-we’re okay with winging that but I do like to have a few ideas for what we want to do. I definitely planned the heck out of our Europe trip because it was necessary but I find that with each trip we take I’m less and less about over planning and only having a few things in mind and calling it good. I don’t want to be over scheduled on a trip.

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Kirsten November 12, 2014 - 5:13 am

I’m a project manager, so I plan everything, everything, I’ve been known to schedule my weekends to the ten minute increment. I’m ok with deviating fon the plan, but I like having a plan. My husband is the complete opposite, but does enjoy planning out activities for trips.

A few weeks back, power went out a work and we were sent away while the line outside was repaired. Suddenly – no plan. No agenda. We had the most relaxing and awesome three hours!

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mrsfrugalwoods@gmail.com November 12, 2014 - 4:45 am

I’m the exact same way! I love planning out vacations (and everything else) in excruciating detail. My husband and I are actually taking a little trip this weekend and I was just stressing out late last night because we haven’t really made many plans. He had to remind me that it is a vacation and to take deep breaths :). I’m glad I read this–now I will try and be more zen about our lack of plans!

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