Planning is an activity bringing the future to the present. When you define your intentions and make them manifest, you act in two ways. You do something now because it is appropriate. And you decide you will have to do something in the future to follow up. Unless you want to drive by sight, you need to plan your future actions.
You plan when external forces require you to commit to a future action: going to the doctor, delivering a project, meeting a person, celebrating a birthday, paying bills.
You should plan also, and foremost, to make your dreams come true. To satisfy your needs and wants, to lead your life.
Think about creativity. You can free-flow writing every day and always have something to say. But is there enough continuity?
If you want to write a book, a longer article, a course, a report, the script for a show or a movie, you need, at the very minimum, to plan some critical steps to go through.
How to plan
What should you schedule today that you will do tomorrow? And why?
For forced events, the answer is easy. Either you comply with requests and obligations, or you don’t. But what about your desires? How do you plan creativity?
Sometimes you just can’t. You can plan to be in a context in which you will be creative. You can refine your ritual of preparing to create and schedule the right time in the right place to perform it. That would already be an outstanding achievement.
What to plan
OK, you’re in the mood. You closed all browser tabs. Your smartphone is off. What shall you do? In this case, you need to have an inspiration bucket. Think about the 100 ideas, for instance. In your ritual, in addition to preparing for creativity, you add the step “Pick an idea.”
How much to plan
Start to set any reasonable amount of time you can reserve for your creativity. A Pomodoro Session, which is 25 minutes, is always a good start. Not enough? Discover it when you do it. Adjust accordingly in Pomodoro increments: you might need two or three Pomodoros for a long creative session.
Where to plan
You should have one calendar only. Time is linear. You are not multi-dimensional yet. So either you reserve some time for that crucial meeting or get the dog out or cultivate your creativity. Yes, is that important. You should have time slots booked on your calendar with the label “Important Meeting With Client” (to cover up for spying eyes). That Client is you.