In my previous post, I introduced the concept of executive function – that collection of mental skills that helps us manage our attention, emotions, and actions. I explained how these skills work together to help us achieve our goals and why they sometimes falter.
Today, I want to share what I consider the single most important insight for improving your productivity and focus: the need to separate planning from execution. I call this separation the "Zoom Out, Zoom In Dance" – a rhythmic alternation between two fundamentally different mental modes that, when properly coordinated, can dramatically improve your effectiveness.
The Problem: Mixing Planning and Execution
Let me start with a scenario I see regularly in my practice:
Marcus sits down at his desk, intending to work on an important report. He opens his laptop and stares at the blank document. Feeling uncertain where to begin, he checks his email "just to make sure" nothing urgent has come in. Twenty minutes later, he's responding to a colleague's question that has nothing to do with his report. Remembering his task, he returns to the blank document, types a few sentences, then wonders if he should research a particular point. He opens a browser, finds some information, but then notices a news headline that catches his attention. After reading several articles, he realizes an hour has passed. Frustrated with himself, he returns to the document, only to question whether this report is even the most important thing he should be working on right now.
Does this sound familiar? This pattern – the constant shifting between trying to plan and trying to execute – is enormously common and extraordinarily inefficient. It's like trying to aim and fire a rifle simultaneously, or attempting to chart your sailing course while actively navigating through rough waters.
The Fundamental Insight: Two Different Mental Modes
The core insight that transformed my understanding of productivity is this: planning and execution require fundamentally different mental states, different attentional scopes, and even different neurological networks.
Think about aiming a rifle. When you aim, you:
Take a wide perspective to survey potential targets
Consider multiple factors (distance, wind, priority)
Hold your breath and maintain a steady position
Take your time to ensure accuracy
When you fire, you:
Focus narrowly on the single chosen target
Block out distractions
Apply pressure in a controlled, decisive motion
Commit fully to the action
Trying to aim and fire simultaneously would be disastrous. Yet this is precisely what we attempt when we sit down to work without clear direction, hoping to figure it out as we go.
The Neuroscience Behind the Dance
This separation isn't just a useful metaphor – it reflects how our brains actually function. Research in neuroscience has identified two distinct network systems that support different modes of attention and cognition:
The Default Mode Network (DMN) becomes active when we:
Reflect on our goals and values
Consider multiple possibilities
Think about others' perspectives
Engage in creative thinking
Plan for the future
The Task-Positive Network (TPN) activates when we:
Focus intensely on immediate tasks
Process external information
Execute specific actions
Track concrete progress
These networks tend to operate in opposition – when one activates, the other deactivates. This helps explain why it's so difficult to plan and execute simultaneously – your brain literally cannot optimally engage both networks at once.
Interestingly, this neurological pattern connects with other frameworks I've discussed in my trauma work. The planning-oriented DMN shows overlap with what neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp identified as the CARE and PLAY emotional systems, which support reflective and social thinking. It also relates to what polyvagal theory describes as ventral vagal activation – a physiological state of safety that allows for creative thinking and connection.
Conversely, the execution-focused TPN connects with Panksepp's SEEKING system, which drives goal-directed behavior and reward anticipation. I'll explore these connections more deeply in a future post, but the key insight is that these aren't just different thinking styles – they represent fundamentally different brain-body states.
The Dance Steps: How to Separate Planning and Execution
Now let's talk about how to implement this insight in practical terms. The Zoom Out, Zoom In Dance involves three key elements:
Step 1: Zooming Out (Planning)
The planning phase requires you to take a broad perspective – surveying the landscape of your goals, priorities, and available resources. This is where you aim before firing.
When you zoom out, you should:
Create mental space by stepping back from immediate demands
Consider your various life domains and their current priorities
Review your commitments and available time
Identify the most important next actions across projects
Establish clear criteria for what completion looks like
This planning mode works best when you're in a reflective state, free from immediate pressure to produce. It's about making decisions about what to do before you start doing.
For Joan, a marketing director I worked with, zooming out means reviewing her projects each morning while having coffee, before opening her email or entering her office. She uses this time to identify her three most important tasks for the day and determine what success looks like for each one.
Step 2: The Critical Transition
The transition between planning and execution is where many people falter. After planning, there's a natural tendency to immediately question your decisions or to continue refining your plan indefinitely.
The key to a successful transition is to:
Document your decisions clearly so you don't need to reconstruct them later
Commit to trusting your plan for a defined period
Create a clear signal that you're shifting modes (closing one application and opening another, changing physical locations, or simply taking a deep breath)
Protect against interruptions that would pull you back into planning mode
This transition becomes more defined and automatic with practice. Think of it as the moment when the archer stops adjusting their aim and commits to taking the shot.
Step 3: Zooming In (Execution)
Once you've transitioned, it's time to zoom in – to focus narrowly and intently on the specific task you've decided to tackle. This is where you fire the shot.
In execution mode, you should:
Focus only on the immediate task, not on whether it's the right task
Limit your attention to just what's needed for the current step
Minimize task-switching and distractions
Maintain momentum by deferring new ideas for later consideration
In this mode, the goal is depth rather than breadth. You're not surveying possibilities – you're committing fully to the path you've chosen.
Michael, a software developer with ADHD I've worked with, describes execution mode as "putting on blinders." Once he's decided what to work on, he closes unnecessary applications, puts his phone in another room, and uses noise-canceling headphones to help maintain his narrow focus.
When the Dance Goes Wrong
Understanding the common ways this dance breaks down can help you recognize and address your particular challenges:
Always Zoomed Out
Some people get stuck constantly planning, evaluating, and re-evaluating without ever committing to execution. This leads to analysis paralysis – the inability to move forward because you're perpetually considering more options or refining your plan.
Sarah, an architect I worked with, would create elaborate to-do lists and planning documents but struggled to start actual design work. She was stuck in planning mode, always preparing but never executing.
Always Zoomed In
Others operate primarily in reactive execution mode, responding to whatever seems most urgent in the moment without taking time to establish priorities. This leads to being busy but not necessarily productive – like a ship sailing at full speed without a destination.
This pattern is particularly common among my clients with ADHD, who may find the zoomed-in, stimulation-rich execution mode more engaging than the reflective planning mode.
Erratic Switching
Many people switch rapidly and repeatedly between planning and execution, never fully engaging in either mode. This is like constantly adjusting your aim while trying to shoot, resulting in scattered effort and limited progress.
False Starts
When planning is inadequate, it often leads to execution that quickly stalls. You start working only to realize you don't have what you need or haven't thought through the approach, forcing you back into planning mode and creating a frustrating stop-start pattern.
Building Your Dance Practice
While I'll explore more detailed implementation strategies in future posts, here are some foundational principles to start incorporating this dance into your workflow:
Create a daily ritual for zooming out Before diving into execution each day, take time (even just 10-15 minutes) to review your goals and decide on priorities. I call this the "aiming ritual" – a daily practice of deliberately choosing your targets before you start firing. I'll detail this practice in a future post, but the key is consistency.
Document your decisions Write down the results of your planning so you don't have to keep them in working memory during execution. This creates a clean break between the modes.
Notice mode confusion Start paying attention to when you're mixing planning and execution. Are you constantly questioning your task choices while trying to work? Are you planning on the fly rather than in dedicated sessions?
Support your states While not essential, consider how your environment might better support each mode. Some people find that different physical locations, times of day, or even body postures help reinforce the distinction between planning and execution modes.
Be patient with the learning curve This dance takes practice. If you've spent years mixing planning and execution, separating them will feel unnatural at first. Give yourself time to develop this new rhythm.
The Benefits Beyond Productivity
While I've focused on productivity benefits, the Zoom Out, Zoom In Dance offers much more. My clients report:
Reduced anxiety about whether they're working on the "right" things
Greater satisfaction with their work
Improved ability to be present rather than constantly second-guessing
Better work-life boundaries
More confidence in their decisions
For those with executive function challenges, particularly ADHD, this separation can be transformative. The planning phase provides the structure often missing, while the execution phase allows for the focused engagement that plays to many ADHD strengths.
Looking Ahead
In my next post, I'll explore how to map your goals effectively during the "zoom out" phase, creating clarity about what matters across different areas of your life. This will build on the dance concept by helping you aim more effectively before firing.
For now, I encourage you to begin noticing when you're mixing planning and execution in your own work. When do you find yourself questioning your task choices while trying to complete them? When do you dive into work without adequate direction? This awareness is the first step toward a more intentional approach.
Remember that the science of executive function is still evolving. The frameworks I've connected here – default mode versus task-positive networks, Panksepp's emotional systems, and polyvagal theory – offer complementary perspectives on why this dance works. I'll explore these connections more deeply later in the series, focusing now on practical application rather than theoretical detail.
The Zoom Out, Zoom In Dance isn't about perfection – it's about creating a rhythm that works with your brain rather than against it. Like any dance, it takes practice, but with time, the steps become more natural and the benefits more apparent.
This is the second in a series exploring executive function and productivity. In my next post, I'll examine goal mapping – a powerful approach to clarifying your priorities during the "zoom out" phase.