I make plans. 

 

Plans made far into the future. 

 

The calendar on my wall at work can be planned out for the coming months for travel plans to districts across the state.

 

I use dry erase markers to write down this information, so it is easily changed, as needed.

 

Color coding adds to the effectiveness of the calendar so I can quickly scan the months to know who, what, when, where and the ever important why. 

 

More details? 

Sure.

 

It will also show when I am doing training sessions in the coming weeks. 

 

How great is it to have a wall calendar? 

 

I know what you are saying in your head.

Others I work with say the same thing.  

 

Are you seriously telling me that you keep some work details on the wall? 

 

Well, I do love old school support systems. 

Perhaps you do as well. 

 

I will also let you know that I have other electronic ways to keep track of what I am doing. Two just-in-case ways to plan for upcoming events.

Redundancy plan

These could be called my redundancy plans so that if one system fails then there is another way to stay on track and be there for my work. 

 

One of these systems increases the beauty of color coding as I share calendars with others in my office, in the building and stay in touch with colleagues across that state. 

 

How did I learn about this backup plan?

 

I attended a training for work a few years ago with a national presenter. 

 

She introduced the group to a concept that comes from the architecture world. 

 

Truth be told here. I know nothing more about this world than what was shared that day so here goes with a quick summary. 

 

One view of a redundancy plan is when a building is designed and a backup design, such as a wall, is added for strength in case the first wall comes down. 

Second view

Let’s go with a second view as a visual way to bring it together. 

 

Can you see the picture? 

 

This handy dandy version was created to come off a downspout and can also be called a redundancy plan to create a backup plan for the water that comes rolling off the house after a rainstorm. 

 

This backup plan involves a pipe with a pipe to keep a few feet of rock filled dirt from crushing the inner pipe. 

 

What seems like an easy fix is exactly that, at times. 

 

A redundancy plan can be used for buildings, designs such as this, and yes, even for my calendars. 

 

What else?  

 

Come back to the training where I first learned about this. 

 

A back up plan can be used in my realm of work with children and adults with disabilities. 

Look at options

There are times when I meet with someone to look at options for assistive technology. 

 

When we find one thing that works to accomplish the person’s goal, I also like to find another, or back up plan, that will also help with their goal.

 

Wait! 

Did I say another way to help with their goal?  

 

You Betcha! 

I like that option with my goals, and plans, and so do others. 

 

Don’t you? 

Consider that for one moment and then I do believe the answer will be yes. 

 

How can looking at redundancy plans be used in your world, my friends? 

 

Perhaps it is when you are planning and you create a Plan A, B, on up to Plan Q.

 

You can think of the redundancy plan when creating a plan around your house to give that backup fail proof reliability. 

 

Can you picture plans that hold off the crushing overwhelm that may come at times? 

 

A plan to support goals you have? 

 

Then think about a possible redundancy plan to give additional ideas about how you can keep the options going when it feels like walls are falling or that first idea is not going to work. 

Oh, the gathering and sharing of ideas we could do together in our realms. 

 

I can feel your ideas coming to the surface and surviving all coming crushing events. 

We can do this. 

Plan away and make that back up plan, y’all! 

Let’s do this together.