I've spent the majority of my life around and amongst working creatives. Most of the creatives I know don't take a lot of time to plan, or rather, they don't seem to have a lot of things to put in a plan. They prize doing things as they come up, and minimize their forward planning.
The contrasting image are the people I've worked with in the corporate world as a consultant, speaker and trainer, most of whom have calendar pages packed with things to do. Everything goes into the plan..plan the work, work the plan. But often, for both of these groups, creativity and tinkering are left out of the plan, or the planner. Those "frivolous" activities are considered time wasting, weekend fodder, not something you would do in the midst of a busy business day. There is a balance to be struck between wandering and creative freedom, and the densely populated day planner. This is my approach.
This is a simple approach, one that includes flexibility and encourages "white space" in our planner. Here, we take time to play, create, reflect and build something off the grid. I call this plan "Next 15" and it can yield a basketful of new ideas, as well as give our mind a much needed energy boost.
This is designed to help you accomplish creative tasks, play and noodle with new ideas, tinker and build something. Don't use this time for more planning, unless you need to map out the design for your new mousetrap!
This plan won't replace a project management calendar of priorities, it's designed to encourge "white space" in your planner pages so that you take time to cultivate fresh thinking, to play, and to dabble.
Musician Charles Mingus wrote "Anyone can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple."
The 5 steps of creative time management
1.) Imagine - Take no less than 15 minutes, but no more than 30 minutes a day to ponder what you need to and want to do. You can separate your thoughts in any way you choose, using a mind-map, an unnumbered list. Don't worry about priorities, judgement, opinion or fears. Just write. Do it in the morning, in the evening, when it's quiet.
2.) Plan - Take no more than 15 minutes to place each of your tasks into three simple comparments. #1-TODAY, #2-TOMORROW, #3-Later. If you decide to just have a "15 minute creativity break", you simply need to decide on what day. Don't put it into a scheduled time, it is just an item you're going to do today, or tomorrow, or later.
3.)Pick - Pick a starting time for you day, and once per hour check your "Plan" list. Based on what you're feeling, your level of energy, your interest, your focus "pick" an item on your list.
4.) Play - You now have 15 uninterrupted minutes to complete or play with that task. If it's a simple task, and it's done in a couple of minutes, then pick something else. When the 15 minutes are up, you can stop and return to whatever your complex task is.
5.) Produce - Create something! That can be as simple as writing a letter, taking some pictures, or writing a lyric or poem. You can produce whatever time permits, and whatever your energy level is.
It's up to you how many creative time breaks you want to take. I recommend you take 4 breaks a day, once in the morning, two during your work day, and another one in the evening. You can certainly go longer if you want to take the time, but you shouldn't go less.
Tools.
Colored pens. Make sure you have a set of colored pens. They're fantastic for doodling and noodling, brainstorming and sketching. I use them daily.
Timer - I have a meditation clock (shown here), as well as a "Zen Meditation" app for when I'm on the road, but you can use whatever form of timer you find or want.
Sketch paper - You can use any paper, but the bright paper found in spiral bound sketch pads is great to work with, and it lets you keep your doodling in one place.
Music - During my 15 minutes I often find it useful to have a little music playing in my ears or background.
Kit - Keep this creative stuff in a kit so when you are taking your Next 15 time, you can simply have it out and at your fingertips.
Try it, today. Put a mark on your planner at the spot you're going to stop what you're doing, and pick from your list of items, activities that will generate energy and creativity for you. Set your timer for 15 minutes, no less, no more...and go. If at the end of 15 minutes you need to keep going, then set it for another 15 minutes...and go.
These tasks are for your well being, your mind and heart. If you only manage to do it once a day, you'll have added hours of creative play time to your work week, and you will be cultivating new and innovative thinking.
(from the forthcoming book "The Take Away" by Carr Hagerman/ Fall 2011)
Posted by: |