The CEO of the fintech company I work for once shared an article about meetings. It was written by Paul Graham, one of the founders of seed-capital firm Y Combinator. The article is called Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule. 

Paul argues that managers can run their days in blocks of one-hour increments, working on one problem before moving on to the next. If you notice a gap in the manager’s diary, you can book a slot to discuss the challenge you're facing and expect guidance and support from them on how to move forward. 

That’s the Manager’s Schedule. 

The Maker’s Schedule is different. It’s for creatives, for the software developers who need large blocks of time to get lost in the code they're writing, for the sculptors sculpting, for the musicians practising their craft for hours on end.  

Creatives can’t conform to the Manager’s Schedule and produce their best work. Imagine an artist churning out painting after painting every hour or a writer turning in one chapter an hour of the book they’re working on. Madness!  

So, how long does it take?  

It takes as long as it takes. Creatives can’t be rushed. 

Now consider parenthood. We have our routines: school drop-offs and pickups, mealtimes, bath times, play dates and after-school activities, yet we see our children come alive when they’re left to explore the world unbounded. 

While our children are often unavoidably cast in the role of managers, the reality is that they are not managers. They’re creatives. But we force them to live their lives on the Manager’s Schedule.  

That’s why they get overwhelmed and dysregulated at times. How much do you look forward to telling your child to stop something they're in the middle of? No wonder they react the way they sometimes do. You’re dragging a creative person away from a creative task – of course they’re pissed off. 

But if interrupting their creativity is unavoidable, what can you do?  

A few things. 

Start with empathy. Understand that our children are creatives who are forced into a society hell-bent on schedules. They need time and support to adjust to this way of living, and they need our guidance. 

Next, give plenty of notice when they need to stop the thing they’re doing, especially if it’s to make way for something less attractive. If they’re building Lego, give them ten-, five- and one-minute warnings that the task is ending. 

They’ll still be disappointed, but the heads-up will help with the transition.  

And if it doesn’t and they lose it, that’s OK. Try not to mirror their emotional reactions. Again, lead with empathy. Tell them you understand how hard it is to stop doing something they love.  

Change the subject if you can, but never deny them the space to display their emotions. Support them through the process. Help them regulate their feelings again. 

Finally, challenge yourself: is the Manager’s Schedule required in this situation?  

Will the world end if they miss their swimming lesson to have a play date with their best friend? Or if they stay up late an extra ten minutes to talk about something they’re interested in? 

I doubt it. 

Better still, remove as many Manager’s Schedule-like tasks as possible, and replace them with … nothing. Free time. Space for a creative mind to practise creative pursuits.  

To explore, to question, to build. To create. 

How long does it take? It takes as long as it takes.