The Benefits of Backwards Planning for Creatives
- Aug 6
- 5 min read
TL;DR
Creatives often struggle with traditional planning, which can lead to underestimated deadlines and stress. Backwards planning offers a fresh perspective by starting from the deadline and working in reverse.
Focuses on end goals: This approach aligns with how creatives naturally think about projects and break them down accordingly.
Uncovers hidden tasks and dependencies: Reducing last-minute stress and rushed work that forward planning might overlook.
Encourages clear milestone identification: Making it easier to track progress and adjust schedules as needed.
Picture this: You’re an animator juggling multiple projects, each with looming deadlines. You start by listing tasks in the order they come to mind, hoping that breaking things down will magically make time appear. Yet somehow, you still end up rushing at the last minute, stressed, and wondering where all the hours went.
Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone—and there’s a planning approach that might just feel like a revelation: backwards planning.
For many creatives like designers, illustrators, and animators, traditional planning can feel out of sync with how their minds work. Backwards planning, also called reverse planning or a workback schedule, flips the script by starting with your deadline and working backwards to today. This approach matches the natural way many creatives think about their projects and brings a surprising sense of clarity and control.
Table of Contents
Why Forward Planning Often Falls Short
When you plan forward, you start at the beginning—from today or the project start date—and map out each step until you reach the deadline. It’s logical but can be misleading.
Research by Buehler, Griffin, and Peetz (2016) on planning direction found that people tend to underestimate how long tasks take when planning forward because it’s easy to overlook obstacles and assume everything will go smoothly. Their study, published in Judgement and Decision Making, showed that backward planning leads to more accurate task duration predictions and better time management.
In creative work where inspiration and execution don’t always follow a linear path, this can lead to crammed schedules and last-minute scrambles. Forward planning often focuses on what should happen next rather than what must happen by the deadline, which can throw off your timing and increase stress.
Let’s say you’re creating a complex storyboard. If you start by planning forward from today, you may assume there is plenty of time for revisions later. But as unexpected challenges arise, such as feedback delays and creative blocks, that timeline compresses, leaving you with less room to breathe.
How Backwards Planning Changes the Game for Creatives
Backwards planning flips the usual approach on its head. Instead of starting with what you do first, you start with when the project is due and work back step-by-step to determine when you need to start each phase. This method creates a realistic timeline that respects the true time constraints of your project.
For example, you’re an illustrator with a final portfolio piece due in six weeks. Instead of listing tasks from week one, you start by marking the submission date on your calendar. Then, your schedule can look like this:
You block out the time needed for final edits the week before
Initial revisions two weeks prior
Concept sketches in the third week
Working your way back until you reach today
Now, your plan feels actionable and true to your workflow. This approach aligns well with how many creatives think about projects: with the end goal in mind.
It also helps reduce overwhelm. When you see your tasks organised with clear deadlines for each step, your workload feels more manageable. Instead of drowning in a to-do list, you have a structured timeline that respects your creative process and natural working rhythms.
In fact, the concept of working backwards is common in animation and design pipelines. Studios often use workback schedules to ensure every phase, from storyboarding to final rendering, fits perfectly within the deadline, allowing time for feedback and polish.
A workback schedule isn’t just another project management buzzword. It’s a fresh perspective that aligns with the creative mind’s nonlinear, deadline-driven nature. If you’ve felt stuck in endless to-do lists and last-minute rushes, trying backward planning could be the empowering shift you need.
What Backwards Planning Looks Like in Practice
Here’s a simple creative scenario:
Deadline: Client presentation in 4 weeks
Final delivery: Week 4, Day 5
Final revisions: Week 4, Days 3–4
Detailed design work: Week 3
Rough drafts and concept exploration: Week 2
Research and gathering inspiration: Week 1
By laying out your schedule this way, you avoid the trap of starting too late or rushing the finish because each task’s timing is anchored to the fixed deadline. This also helps you identify any potential bottlenecks early so you can adjust key areas such as your timeline, task delegation, or scope before they escalate into delays.
If you realise that the detailed design work will take longer than expected, because your schedule flows backwards from the deadline, you can immediately see what tasks need to be pulled forward or where you might need to negotiate deadline extensions and delegate work.
How to Start Backwards Planning Today: 3 Simple Steps
Identify your fixed deadline. Whether it’s a client delivery date or a self-imposed goal, this is your starting point. Write it down clearly on your calendar or project tracker.
List all the key tasks needed to complete the project. Break your work into important phases: concepts, drafts, feedback, revisions, and final touches. Don’t forget buffer time for unexpected delays. A common rule of thumb is to add 10-20% extra time to your timeline.
Schedule each task moving backwards from the deadline. Assign realistic time blocks for each phase, working in reverse order until you reach today. Adjust as needed to keep things manageable.
If you want to make this process even easier, consider tools like the TESSR My Work feature. It gives you a clear overview of all your projects, so you know what requires your attention today and what’s ahead by bringing everything into an organised view.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is backwards planning better than forward planning?
Backwards planning often suits creative projects better because it anchors your schedule to fixed deadlines, helping you allocate time realistically and avoid last-minute rushes. However, forward planning might still be useful during the initial ideation phase or for very short tasks.
How do I stop underestimating how long tasks will take?
Backwards planning encourages realistic time allocation by starting with your deadline and working backwards, making it easier to spot timing gaps. Including buffer time and reflecting on past experiences further improves your estimates.
Can backwards planning help my creative projects?
Yes. Backwards planning matches how many creatives naturally think, starting with the end goal and figuring out the steps to get there. It reduces overwhelm, improves time management, and supports better collaboration by clarifying timelines.
Author Bio
A Penangite based in Kuala Lumpur, Mia has written across industries, picking up stories, styles, and the occasional existential crisis over punctuation along the way. She is currently a creative writer at TESSR, where she explores the intersection of creativity, collaboration, and better ways of working. Outside of writing, she can be found chasing live music, setting off on solo adventures, or passionately insisting that song lyrics qualify as life advice. That same energy carries into Mia’s writing. Curious, a little chaotic, and always searching for the detail that makes everything click. Connect with her on LinkedIn!
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