How far in advance do you prefer to plan? Why?

Joanne's FAVORITE answer:
At not more than 5 minutes. None of my long term plans seem to have worked out, so screw it, why bother.

Joanne's answer:
It depends on the event, I suppose. If we are talking plans for the weekend or just regular hanging out, I really don't need to plan in advance at all. I typically don't make any effort to plan my weekend in advance (with the exception of special events, like going to a baseball game or something)...but I'm totally fine to have things planned (i.e., I don't need things to be spontaneous and I'm not a "well let's see if anything better comes along before I commit" type of person). However, if someone is coming to visit me, I do like to plan several days (if not a week) in advance re: things we will do, but that's more because I want to make sure I plan activities that my guests will like and less because I have a huge desire to plan per se. Also, if we are talking about trips of any kind, there are some details that I would like planned at least a week ahead of time, like where I am staying and some general possibilities of what I might do when I get there (mostly so I can know how to pack...not that I don't just end up packing my entire closet anyway...but that's besides the point!). Then again, I do think I'm spontaneous enough to just take off for a weekend trip without more than a couple of hours notice...though to be honest, I don't think I've ever been presented with that opportunity.

And the other answers!

1. I usually don't plan out anything more than a couple of months in advance - unless it's arrangements for a big event. I just tend to get wrapped up in taking care of stuff that needs to get taken care of today or this week and don't seem to be able to project out all that far. Although, my building up of my freelance business so that I can be working primarily from home by the time [my daughter] starts school is a notable exception to that.

2. I am bad about planning in advance. This really is bad because I don't like surprises most of the time. If I had to give it a time frame, I would say I like to plan things a week in advance, but I usually get around to planning maybe hours in advance.

3. I am an ENTJ...the J means [I] don't plan.

4. If its a vacation of some kind, I like to plan it in advance, because there's so much added enjoyment that comes from anticipation!

5. I love last minute plans! They seem far more pleasing although in this day and age you do have to make plans for so much.

6. Oh I am a big fan of planning ahead. I don't know how else you could possibly keep control over your life, you know? So yeah, on a regularday I'd make plans anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes in advance (15 if I'mfeeling frisky). Of course, anything more than that and you're just setting yourself up for failure.

7. About a week. I used to be much more spontaneous...sometimes not having any plan for a particular day until the day came along. But, getting into your 30s and living in San Francisco, you start to learn that you need to make plans ahead of time or be left in the dust as everyone pursues their already-established-a-week-or-more-before plans. It actually sucks, really.

8. I generally like to only plan a few hours in advance. Not always is that possible such as family gatherings.Why? For 2 reasons: 1. no preconceived ideas 2. never know what my mood will be like from hour to hour.

9. Depends on what I am planning for, however, I do like to plan at least a week in advance for nearly everything, I need to mentally prepare for things.