Stop interrupting the process: Planning vs. Doing

There are two key phases of getting things done: ideating and doing.

Here’s the gist:

There’s a time for ideating, and there’s a time for doing. Don’t keep bouncing back and forth. Finish the doing, then go back to ideating and reviewing.

Let’s get into it.

The Doing Phase: Stay focused and finish what you start

Picture this:

• You’ve just had a great brainstorming session.
• You know what needs to be done, and you’ve made a solid plan.
• Now, it’s time to start doing.

But somewhere along the way, loads of new ideas or opportunities pop up. You think, “Let’s change this bit” or “Why not try adding that?”

Before you know it, you’re constantly tweaking, and the original plan is unrecognisable — or worse, unfinished.

Here’s what happens

• You get a lot done but not the thing you originally planned.
• You lose track of progress.

While it’s great to adapt and learn as you go, don’t let these distractions derail you. Instead:

• Stick to the plan until it’s finished.
• Take note of new ideas or lessons learned, but save them for the next round of planning.
• If you’re getting pulled off course often, shorten your action cycles (e.g., weekly or even daily iterations).

For some of us, it’s natural to be curious and have lots of new ideas as we are working through something. Make somewhere for you to store these to come back to (a backlog, icebox, post-it notes, etc).

The Ideating Phase: Keep it simple, don’t over-plan

We’ve all been here:

• It’s a new year, and you’re full of energy and ideas.
• You create an elaborate, detailed plan for the year ahead.
• But as soon as you start, life happens, and that beautifully crafted plan goes out the window.

The problem?

• Over-planning can be just as unproductive as no planning at all.
• You spend so much time ideating that you forget to start doing.

Instead, keep your plan simple:

• High-level goals like, “I want to do more marketing this year” or “I’ll go to the gym three times a week.”
• Commit to doing the work for a set period (e.g., a month) and then re-evaluate.
• Adjust as needed, but focus on action over analysis.

You have to make sure that you are “moving the needle” in the direction you want to go. Keep this in mind when you are ideating.

The Key to Balance: Separate ideating and doing

To stay productive, clearly divide your time for planning/ideating and doing. You have to keep these separate… or…. don’t cross the streams.

Here’s how:

1. Plan small, act big.

   • Start with a simple idea or goal.
   • Avoid overcomplicating the plan, just get started.

2. Keep the ideating and doing separate.

   • Set aside time to brainstorm and plan.
   • Once you’re in the doing phase, focus solely on execution.

3. Review and refine.

   • Regularly revisit your progress (weekly, monthly, etc.).
   • Use what you’ve learned to improve future plans, but don’t rework the current one mid-flight.

4. Find the right iteration size.

   • Too short (hours, minutes) = chaos.
   • Too long (year-long plans) = overwhelming and inflexible.
   • Experiment with timelines that work for you, weekly and monthly cycles often strike a good balance.

The Takeaway

There’s a time for ideating, and there’s a time for doing. Keep them separate.

When you’re ideating, focus on creating a plan, even just a simple one.
When you’re doing, stick to the plan, finish the work, and save any adjustments or new ideas for the next round of planning.

By keeping these phases distinct, you’ll stay productive, avoid distractions, and make actual, meaningful progress towards your goals.

I hope this post has come at the righ ttime for you. Now, it’s time to stop ideating and crack on with doing. You got this!