7 Tips For Completing A Project When Stuck
I have set my goals (and intentions for completing those goals) yet struggle to move forward on one of the more complicated tasks. Ugh! Since it is a project I am starting from scratch, and I am going into unfamiliar territory, it makes me feel some fear.
Time to go to my toolbox to help me. Here are some things I utilize to get unstuck.
Acknowledge my fear and turn it into a positive. What fears do I have and how can I re-frame them? One may be that I don’t know what I am doing. I remember someone told me once, “Just because you are doing something for the first time doesn’t mean you don’t know how to do it.” Another fear is that it won’t turn out. Instead I think – what if this is wildly successful? And yet another fear that it maybe becomes wildly successful. I think to myself; this was meant to be - I will take it one step at a time and appreciate the journey.
Set a bigger purpose – go back to it often. Items on my goal list or to-do list can become chores. This is when I remind myself how the items fit into the bigger purpose in my life. I revisit this often because the more difficult the project, the more I forget this.
Start with what I know. There are some things I already know or I wouldn’t be doing the project. Whatever it is, I do a brain dump onto my paper. Do I know steps I need to take? Do I know some pieces already but need to research others? I get it all down. I recognize that most of the time when I do this, I actually know more than I thought!
Set research time. In places where I need more information, I set a time limit on what I realistically need to spend on research. If there is a project I have fear about, staying in research too long at the beginning keeps me from starting.
Set 15 minutes of starting. If I am really struggling to get going, I actually set a timer for 15 minutes that I will spend on starting. It is amazing how this action gets me moving, and usually things flow from there.
Done is better than perfect. Being someone who wants things perfect and to not show mistakes can hinder me at the start. I love using this tactic to at least get it done. Done feels great! I then proof and polish all while keeping in mind the amount of time that is worth spending on this part.
Create a ritual. If it is a project that is long-term, I not only set a regular time to work on it, but I associate an action or environment to it – something physical. Light a candle, pull on the same sweater, sit in a designated place. Whatever it is helps my brain to know it is time to work on the project.
As the project moves along, one of my favorite things to do is record on my monthly calendar what I accomplished that day. Even over a week, if I havecompleted several smaller things on a project, it is progress and I celebrate that. It is fun look back and see how far Ihave come!
Do you have a problem or topic you would like to learn more about? Please let me know and I would be happy to answer it anonymously in a future blog.