The deadlines seem reasonable. The tasks are listed, the schedule is organised, and everyone knows what needs to be done. Then an unexpected request comes in, an approval takes longer than expected, or a key task depends on someone who hasn't had a chance to start. Suddenly, the plan needs to change.
Good planning is about more than organising your calendar or writing a to-do list. It means knowing what you're trying to achieve, deciding what deserves your attention and working out what needs to happen to get the result you're after. AI can help with that process, but only when it's used thoughtfully.
AI tools can be useful when you're facing a long list of tasks or trying to get a project off the ground. You can ask them to help organise information, break a larger task into manageable steps, draft a project plan or turn meeting notes into a list of actions. They can also help you look at a goal from another angle or flag questions you may not have considered.
But there's a catch. AI doesn't automatically know what is happening in your workplace.
It might produce a neatly organised project schedule without knowing that a supplier needs two weeks to deliver, that the person responsible for approval is on leave, or that a deadline hasn't been agreed with the client. The plan looks convincing, but it may not be achievable.
That's why it's important to think things through before asking AI to do the planning for you. Start by deciding what needs to be achieved, what matters most and what could get in the way. Then use AI to help develop your ideas, test your assumptions or create a first draft. Review the result carefully and correct anything that's missing or doesn't make sense. Business information should also be handled in line with your organisation's AI policies.
The aim isn't to let AI make your decisions. It's to use it to support better ones.
This becomes especially important when you're juggling competing priorities. A task that feels urgent isn't necessarily the one that matters most. The Eisenhower Matrix, for example, helps distinguish between what is urgent and what is important, while a structured approach to daily and weekly planning can help turn bigger priorities into actions you can actually complete. AI can assist with follow-up actions once you've made those initial decisions, but it shouldn't decide your priorities for you.
Planning also looks different depending on what you're trying to achieve. Organising your day requires a different approach from managing a project or deciding how an organisation should allocate its resources. The tool that works for one situation may not be the right fit for another.
For a project, it helps to work backwards from the required outcome. What needs to happen first? Which tasks depend on other people or decisions? Are there resources or risks that could affect completion? Mapping these out before work begins can reveal problems that might otherwise only become obvious when a deadline is already looming.
AI can help develop an initial project plan or highlight questions worth exploring. However, the person responsible still needs to check the details, identify missing information and decide whether the plan is realistic.
The same thinking applies to goal setting. A goal needs to be clear enough to guide action, with a way to measure progress and a realistic timeframe. The SMARTER approach helps delegates develop stronger goals, while the Simple Project Management Approach provides a structured way to turn those goals into a plan. AI can help challenge a goal or create an initial project plan, but the final version needs to stand up to scrutiny.
And planning doesn't stop with individual tasks and projects. At a broader level, organisations need to consider whether their priorities, measures and activities support the outcomes they want to achieve. Approaches such as the Balanced Scorecard, the 7 Value Medals and the Logical Framework Approach help people examine plans from different perspectives, consider the value they are creating and test whether the pieces fit together.
These are all areas where AI can support the thinking process, provided people remain willing to question its suggestions rather than simply accept them.
This is the thinking behind Staff Training's Planning and Productivity with AI workshop. Over two days, delegates work through different levels of planning, from organising their daily and weekly workload to setting goals, planning projects and considering wider organisational priorities.
They explore tools such as the Eisenhower Matrix, the 10-step to-do-list method, Path of Completion, Project Mapping, SMARTER goals, the Simple Project Management Approach, the Balanced Scorecard, the 7 Value Medals and the Logical Framework Approach. The focus is on understanding when and how to use these methods, rather than treating every planning challenge in the same way.
AI is incorporated throughout the course where it can add value. Delegates learn to use it to challenge their thinking, identify gaps, explore possibilities and develop first drafts. They also learn to evaluate the output critically, recognising that a well-written suggestion isn't necessarily the right one.
Ultimately, better productivity doesn't come from filling every hour or producing a longer to-do list. It comes from knowing what matters, thinking ahead and making sure the work you're doing moves you towards the result you need.
AI can help you get there, but the quality of the plan still depends on the thinking behind it.
Want your team to plan with greater clarity and use AI more effectively? Contact Staff Training to find out more about our two-day Planning and Productivity with AI workshop or to discuss training for your organisation.
