If you’re like most people, you probably plan out a good portion of your day-to-day activities. Even in our off time, we generally make plans to go on vacation, to the movies, and out to dinner; it’s not often that we simply “wing it.” So why would you do so at work? Like the late actor Dennis Hopper always said in those television commercials, “You gotta have a plan!”  Following are two great ways to be prepared.

Always have a back-up plan

The unexpected happens far more often than you might think, so plan for the unexpected. Contingency plans are like the fire drills you remember from elementary school: You practice them and work out different scenarios in preparation for plan B.

Pay attention to the back-up plans your employer already has in place. If you work in retail, chances are there are several contingency plans for ringing up transactions, covering shifts, ordering, bookkeeping, and stocking the back room.

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