I am a sucker for planners, productivity programs and task management tools. Not an expert – a sucker. Someday I hope to qualify as a semi-pro. There are many wonderful systems and tools available to choose from along with endless blogs and blog entries dedicated to improving personal productivity. I’m going to give you a run-down of my favorites and their pros and cons and then introduce you to a concept that I’ve been playing with which applies Theatrical Perspectives to Life Planning and Productivity. First let me explain a bit about why I came up with the Theatrical Perspectives and how planning from multiple yet cohesive and collaborative perspectives may be helpful for you too.

First – there’s nothing like a metaphor to help me get to that “Aha” moment. According to Tony Robbins, our subconscious is the most powerful part of our mental faculties and the subconscious responds more powerfully to images and metaphors than it does to words and numbers and outlines, etc. Also I have been amazed at how much I am able to accomplish in a short amount of time when I am working on a show. I wrote a little bit about that in my last post Beginning and Finishing Creative Work. This got me thinking about applying the metaphor of theater to our life’s work. How can we raise the curtain on our creative dreams? How can we take center stage in our own life and live authentically in the spotlight? And, more practically, how are our goals similar to theatrical productions?

Why is the metaphor of theater applicable to life planning?

I think of the theater as a human lab. It is a living art form. It is collaborative by nature. It brings communities together as witnesses to share a common experience. It documents our humanity. The theater exposes us to ourselves using the elements of story and myth and character. It doesn’t have to be heady and dramatic – sharing a laugh together while enjoying a ridiculous comedy or crying together while watching a drama – offer the same eye-opening opportunities for bonding with your neighbor. I think of these moments of connection, sharing, exposing, confronting, laughing and crying which are created in the theater as a concentrated and potent dose of humanity.

I also think, that as we go about our days shuffling back and forth from work to school to home to the grocery store to the mall to the hospital – that we can forget who we are. This kind of scheduling and task managing and compartmentalization doesn’t work for me. In order for me to achieve the flow I desire in my life, the big picture and the day to day management of tasks have to be connected.

I have also accepted – after many personal battles, denials, and acts of back-pedaling – that we are responsible for the lives we create. In truth, we are very powerful creators and it is up to us to use that power to create the life we want to live. When we step into the spotlight living truthfully as ourselves, our community and our culture become our audience and the more we shine, the more we will inspire others to shine. Any system by which I manage my life needs to have this truth at its core.

Is that too much to ask? Maybe. But I am a seeker and a truth teller and I think I’m getting closer every day.
Let’s look at some of the available planning and task management systems out there.
They basically fall into two very broad categories: Top Down and Bottom Up. Top Down systems begin with our values and our big goals also referred to as ‘big rocks’. They proceed to break the goals down into targets, deadlines and daily tasks. Bottom Up systems focus on capturing and processing tasks and achieving that state of nirvana known as ‘inbox zero’. Bottom up systems are designed to get the minutia out of our heads and into the system so that we are free to focus on our creativity and big goals which are incorporated into these systems through the weekly, monthly and annual review.

My favorite top down systems include Franklin Covey and Simpleology.

My favorite bottom up systems are Getting Things Done, Zen to Done (Zen to Done is actually a beautiful hybrid of both top down and bottom up.), The Pomodoro Technique and Autofocus.

I said I would outline the pros and cons of each, but let me start with this: I like them all. You can accomplish a great deal using any one or any combination of these systems. If you are starting out with a productivity and life management for the first time, don’t spend a lot of time trying to find the perfect one for you. Just pick one based on your gut reaction and use it for all it’s worth. You can’t go wrong. There are a lot of people out there with a lot of strong opinions about which system is superior, don’t worry about it – just go for what makes you feel good.

Franklin Covey’s planners are beautiful. Franklin Covey was the first life planning system and task management system I was introduced to. Their planning principles are solid. You can easily modify the system to meet your individual needs. The only picky issue I have with them is having to re-write tasks from day to day. Also I don’t need the emphasis on appointments and meetings, but you can’t go wrong with this. If you haven’t read What Matters Most by Hyrum W. Smith, I highly recommend it. This is the book that launched my love of life planning and I used it as the basis for my work with the Franklin Covey system.

Simpleology is fantastic and very easy to use. I like the simple philosophies behind Simpleology especially the back-wards planning model which is what I have always used to create my production calendars. The only drawbacks with Simpleology is that the software resides only on-line and has very limited flexibility. However, I think the limitations of the software were put in place on purpose to keep the system simple with a very directed step by step process. My favorite thing about Simpleoolgy is its emphasis on the daily practice of reviewing your goals and creating a daily action plan. This is called the ‘Daily Target Praxis’. The Daily Target Praxis is beautiful. It keeps you focused on long term, medium term and short term goals and gives you an opportunity to dump and capture the daily tasks that you have to take care of. There is no emphasis on values in this system. The focus is on the accomplishing your dream life – your goals which are referred to as targets. The other drawback with this is the constant marketing of other Simpleology modules and products. I believe Mark Joyner’s products are valuable, I just don’t want to be sold to every day. That being said, you can succeed with this system even if you unsubscribe from the emails and only use the Simpleology 101 module – which is free. If you want to go any further, you will pay per module. But Simpleology 101 will change your life and help you establish a very beneficial daily practice. Note: This is a very directed system that will step you through the process one day at a time. If don’t like being told what to do, you may not appreciate this learning process.

Getting Things Done is excellent because it’s foundation is built on the principle of keeping tasks out of your head and capturing every task in a trusted system of lists so you can achieve the state of ‘mind like water’ – which allows you to use your brain power to invent and create instead of remember. GTD is responsible for the productivity revolution. If you want to go with GTD, you will find tons and tons and tons of tools, websites, articles, mash-ups, hash-ups and opinions to play with. My only issue with it is that the successful implementation of GTD is an ideal that eludes me. The constant emphasis on task completion starts to make me feel like a human doing instead of a human being. It’s just too linear for me and I can’t sustain it. But I am a huge fan of the brain dump. The only thing is my brain dump doesn’t look like a list – it looks like a tangled mess.

Zen to Done – is the more human version of GTD. Leo Babauta is an inspired and inspiring being. He also provides encouragement for those of us who need to go slower and create environments of less instead of more. He emphasizes implementing the ZTD system slowly and establishing habits one at a time instead of rushing headlong into using the entire productivity system and expecting to change your life in one day. Listen to him. Don’t set yourself up. Take it from one who’s tried it and learned the hard way. If you’re new to these kinds of systems, I would start here. And I’m not saying that because I am an affiliate. I truly believe this is a beautiful and beneficial process for life management.

The Pomodoro Technique emphasizes focusing on one task at a time and eliminating all distractions and interruptions. The technique uses a kitchen timer to help you focus on your work on one project for 20 minutes at a time. You take a five minute break between each Pomodoro. You track how many Pomodoros it takes you to complete a project, how many external and internal interruptions occur during each work session. When new tasks from either an internal or external source need to be added to the system, you write the unplanned but urgent tasks on your daily worksheet and the unplanned not urgent tasks on your activity inventory which holds your tasks for you until they need to be done. I use this technique for writing and creative projects, but I don’t implement it for my j.o.b. tasks. Most of my j.o.b. tasks are deadline oriented or reactive. However, when I do have a j.o.b. project to work on, I will use Pomodoro to remind me to take breaks otherwise I will sit and stare at my computer all day and never leave my desk. I think the Pomodoro Technique is a very healthy process. However if you are a creative person – you may not appreciate the timer ringing every 20 minutes and interrupting your flow. The flip side of that is – if you are a procrastinator because your projects feel overwhelming (ahem – like writing a book – ahem) then the Pomodoro Technique can be highly beneficial. Writing a novel is an overwhelming project, but writing for scene 2 in chapter 5 for 20 minutes is entirely possible. This technique is excellent to help you to break through overwhelm. There is no emphasis on life planning or goal planning with this system. It is simply an action implementation system. Bonus – the little timer shaped like a tomato is adorable! I have a very cool Pomodoro iPhone app that I love, love, love!

And then there’s Autofocus. Pure simplicity, pure brilliance. Whenever I stray from Autofocus I always come back to it. Autofocus is one list for everything you have to do. And you can put anything on there. If you want to establish the habit of flossing every day, put flossing on the list, cross it off when you are done, and write it down again at the end of your list. Autofocus eliminates the context lists of GTD while providing you with that marvelous ‘mind like water’ feeling. Instead of ordering tasks, you write them down as they come to you, then you scan the list, pick what you want to do next, do it, and cross it off. If it is a repetitive task, you cross it off and add it again at the end of the list. But you don’t rewrite the list every day. You work with one list and use it until you fill up your notebook. The feeling of flow with this process is wonderful. As for drawbacks – again, this is a task focused, action oriented system that does not incorporate values, goals or back-wards planning. However, these are easy to add to the list:

• review goals
• refine back-wards planning for LT goal and add to list as needed
• review values – ask are you living your values?
• novel writing Pomodoro

Like I said, anything can be added to the list, but I do find that I need to keep separate pages for working on long term goals and life planning. This system does not address scheduling tasks or deadlines. You will have to find a way to create a mash-up for that. I use Autofocus with the Pomodoro Technique to manage my tasks and take action on my creative projects. There is a ton of information on how to use the Autofocus System on Mark Forster’s website Get Everything Done. He has created several adaptations of Autofocus, but Autofocus I is my favorite.
The Theatrical Metaphor
The production is you. It’s your hopes, your dreams, the life you want to live, your quirkiness, your habits, your beliefs, how you show up in the world, the environment you create which surrounds you, the multiple roles you play – everything. I like the production metaphor because it makes it clear that it is up to me to be the star of my own life. If you aren’t starring in your life, who is? If you’re like me – family members and friends can sneak in there and take over the starring role. Keeping this metaphor in mind reminds me to take stock. When I think of starring in my own life, I imagine myself standing center stage in the spotlight surrounded by the life I have created for myself. I imagine myself facing an audience unashamed without self consciousness and saying, “This is me. This is what I believe in. This is what I stand for. This is what I do. This is what I love.” Imagining my life as a production keeps me aware that all of my choices count and that it is up to me to create my life by choosing deliberately rather than living by default.

One caveat about this metaphor. Using the metaphor of a production is not meant to imply that you have pretend to be someone you aren’t. This is about authentically featuring you the way you see yourself and the way you want others to see you. This show is uniquely you.
Introducing the Theatrical Perspectives
Now I want to share with you the three theatrical perspectives which collaborate with one another to help me shine. The first is the Playwright. The Playwright correlates to the values and goals work discussed in the top down planning methods listed above. Instead of values, I use the word manifesto. It’s an artsy word and it turns me on and makes me feel all jazzy on the inside. The Playwright’s role is to explore the world of unlimited possibilities and invent scenarios for your life that thrill you and give your life meaning. The Playwright is only limited by imagination. Her favorite phrases are “What if …” or “What would it look like if …” and “How would you feel if …” and “What would make you feel as if …”. The Playwright spends a lot of time writing in her journal and evaluating what it is that truly makes you happy, what you are most grateful for, what you want less of and what it is that you love and want more of. And then she sets about inventing ways of getting you more (or less) of that. Her goal is to uncover and reveal you as the shiniest brightest star you can be – we’re talking on fire and glowing with happiness. (Please note: All playwrights reserve the right to revise at will.)

The Playwright crafts the manifesto (values), designs the scenarios (goals) then passes those on to the second character on our production team, the Director. The Director’s job is to get the show on the stage. The Director takes the goals and creates a production calendar which is synonymous with the back-wards planning method from Simpleology. The Director hires the production team and enlists the support needed to help you get to Opening Night. The Director’s mantra is, “The show must go on.” She is the planner and the problem solver. She can request revisions from the Playwright when necessary or remain stubbornly on task until she gets what she wants, when she wants it in the way she wants it. Her primary tool is the Production Calendar. I use a separate Production Calendar for each long-term goal and some medium-term goals. First I pick my Opening Night (deadline). Then I work back-wards creating target dates and mini-deadlines and daily actions all designed to get me to my debut. It helps to make the Opening Night public or share it with a select audience and make an event out of it. If you know the curtain is going to rise on a certain date at a specific time, it will make you even more determined.

And finally we have the Actor. The Actor is responsible for…taking the actions and doing the doings. I wrote an earlier post called Acting is Doing which addresses the role of the Actor very specifically.The Actor works with the Playwright and the Director to ensure that she is being true to vision of the Playwright and meeting the deadlines set by the Director. It is also up to the Actor to live truthfully in the moment, make the daily choices that will take her to the climax of the scene, and know on a deep gut level why she is doing what she is doing – in other words – what’s at stake. I cringe every time I hear the question, “What’s my motivation?” even though it’s a good question. It is the Actor’s job to answer that question so she knows that each action she takes has a purpose and that each action is connected directly to her purpose. The Actor evaluates available choices and with the help of the Director works to justify everything she does by asking, “Will this action further my purpose?” or “Is this action true to what I stand for?” If an action can’t be justified – such as spending three hours browsing the web looking at what other actors are doing and comparing her work to other actors instead of making a choice and taking the action that is uniquely her own – then that action is extraneous and not helpful. When the Actor is focused, grounded in her purpose and taking action on her behalf – you are on your way to a lively and joyous performance.

It is also the Actor’s job to be aware of her beliefs, to examine her belief system and identify those beliefs that serve her purpose and minimize those that don’t. And it is the Actor’s job to respect and accept the emotions that surface as she moves forward on her path. It isn’t her job to manufacture emotion i.e. trying to make herself happy all the time or to deny her emotional life. A lot of times – when we are being true to who we are and honest with the world and operating in the zone of pure authenticity – emotions will sneak up on us and surprise us. Maybe they’ll even bite us in the butt. It is the Actor’s job to honor the emotions as they surface and to let them flow into the action without trying to hold onto them or without letting them stop her.

These three characters, the Playwright, the Director and the Actor, are all aspects of you – available to you – to help you star in the life of your dreams. Their work isn’t linear. It isn’t top down or bottom up. The flow of their process is shaped more like a figure eight – providing constant feedback and enrichment to one another.
Conclusion
I hope this is a helpful perspective that will assist you to envision your life planning and producitivy as a cohesive, living, collaborative production designed to feature you as the star of your life. If you play with this, please leave a comment and share your discoveries with me.

Tags: Creativity, Life Planning, Productivity, Theater