As some of you know, I’m in the middle of a move back to Los Angeles. With the entirety of my life either packed up, in storage, readily transportable, rented out, on wheels, online, wireless, discarded, shredded, recycled, or given away, I find myself enjoying a kind of freedom I haven’t known in years. Once I realized this, I draughted a list of projects I’d been putting off; a list I was all abuzz to dive into; a list that, when complete, would pave the way toward a bright and prosperous future; a list I am, to date, largely ignoring.

My problem is this: nearly every item on my list requires inordinate amounts of creativity from me. While I enjoy being creative–nay, require creativity as I once required sleep before I discovered white coffee–I’ve never been good at being creative on a schedule. I’d like to think I alone suffer from this, but I know that isn’t true. That’s why I felt the clammy fondle of camaraderie when I was introduced to Getting Things Done.

The two most important lessons I’ve learned from GTD are: 1) group like tasks that can be accomplished together, and 2) dump your brain into a trusted system. A lot of GTD seems like common sense, and I’m sure a lot of it would work if you could just commit yourself to it. But there are some issues that GTD just can’t seem to help me with.

See, what David Allen and the other productivity cognoscenti have never sufficiently answered to my liking is how to get creative things done in a timely manner. I appreciate the idea that I should record everything (write it, sketch it, type it, whatever) as I work out an idea, but when does the recording end and the opening-of-celebratory-beers-marking-the completion-of-a-project begin? For that matter, how can I group like tasks when I’m working on: a new kind of game, a short film, a website, a book, and a brand for a lifestyle company?

I don’t mean to complain–except that I am complaining, and I find I’m enjoying it–but GTD seems better suited to… real estate agents, salesmen, the odd engineer every now and again. But when you’re faced with a task list of multiple blank slates, staring back at you, taunting you…

Maybe my problem isn’t a productivity one. Maybe it’s the age old problem that all creatives have, struggling with their muse. Maybe GTD is just a way to clear your schedule and make time to stare down that blank piece of paper.

Still, if GTD can’t include creativity as one of its “things”, I feel a little let down.