Map annual capacity month by month — distribute…
Create annual capacity maps rating each month 1-5 based on historical data, then distribute annual commitments proportionally to predicted monthly capacity rather than dividing by twelve uniformly.
When This Fires
- During annual planning or goal-setting
- When distributing a large project across the year
- After failing to maintain uniform monthly output targets
- Any planning that spans 6+ months and needs realistic monthly allocation
Common Failure Mode
Rating all months as 3-4 because you want to believe your capacity is consistent. Use historical data, not aspirations: look at last year's actual output by month. The months that produced less weren't failures — they had genuinely lower capacity. Plan for the actual pattern rather than a wished-for flat line.
The Protocol
(1) Rate each month 1-5 based on historical capacity data (last year's output, known schedule constraints, predictable personal patterns). (2) Sum the ratings to get a total annual capacity score. (3) Distribute annual commitments proportionally: a month rated 5 gets (5/total) × annual commitment; a month rated 2 gets (2/total) × annual commitment. (4) The total is the same; the distribution matches your real capacity curve. December's target is lighter; January's is heavier. The annual plan becomes achievable because it's shaped around reality.