Just as businesses and institutions of higher education develop long term plans; individual faculty and scholar should as well. Long term planning also helps with short term planning; it helps individuals prioritize the weekly and daily to-do lists. For example, teaching will almost always take as much time as you give it; however, self-disciplined writers prioritize their writing and write daily.  Start with thinking about what you want to have accomplished in five years. For example, you may want to have completed your dissertation, submitted a large research grant, and have a full-time job. From this, develop a five year plan, and describe your five year plan on this page.