Looking out my office window I see something unusual for an Ohio February – almost two feet of snow blanketing everything. It’s lovely; it’s a relief from they typical gray and soggy Ohio weather. Watching the bird feeder out the back window is a miniature Winter Olympics with visitors from other animal kingdoms, including gray squirrels, cardinals, bluejays, woodpeckers – both the red-headed ones and a giant pileated fellow - and a continual stream of wrens, crows, and other unidentified contestants.
My daughter Jen is in charge of the snow shoveling. She does a very good job, but I have just one more year before she heads off to college and that chore becomes mine again. In a winter like this you can end up moving tons of snow off the drive and walks.
But I’m a farm boy and I’ve been knee deep in far worse things. And I’ve been in the business world for over twenty-five years now. There’s many a day I’d have rather been mucking out a barn than wading into some of the projects and issues you have to deal with in business on a daily basis.
Sometimes you come upon a new project or assignment and it just seems impossible. Or maybe it might be possible, but only with an unknown but significant amount of effort. It can be crushing to look at that stack of work and wonder how you’ll ever get it done.
Here three things that will help you face those big tasks:
- Divide the task into smaller ones. If you’re working on that snow-covered driveway or that barn stall covered in manure, you might find it easier to mark your progress and keep up a steady pace if you sub-divide it into pieces you can declare “finished.” What works for snow also works for business projects, like “redesign web site”. If you divide it into smaller but meaningful tasks, you can attack them one at a time. And you’re likely to make real progress.
- Put your blinders on and your back into it. Once you’ve identified that small project or section that you’re going to work on, set aside the time and get rid of all the distractions. Work only on that one thing. If you’re shoveling snow, don’t stop to check your tweets. Keep shoveling! If you’re writing a blog post, quit from email and every other distraction and go full screen. Remember: multitasking is a myth. Keep your focus on the task in front of you.
- Finish the job in front of you (especially the sub-divided job). If you’ve divided your tasks into appropriately small ones, work to complete any task you start. If you can’t complete it in one sitting, that’s a good clue that you haven’t subdivided it into small enough separate projects. But just like that driveway that must be cleared, you can only do it if you maintain your focus and effort. If you try to clear the driveway AND organize your pantry AND cook dinner all at the same time you’re going to end up with an uneatable meal, a mess in the pantry, and an impassible driveway.
Life and work are full of big jobs and tasks. And you might find out this surprise: after you get over that initial funk of the work you face, there’s real pleasure in tackling and finishing a big task. If you give yourself those small increments and focus on nothing but that job in front of you, it’s satisfying in a way that few things can be. There’s virtue in a big job well done.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Randy,
Your common sense explanation delivers a calming approach to tackling the toughest tasks. No excuse for procrastinating: just break it down, check ‘em off and #GTD ! Thanks for a great start to my Monday morning.
Breaking it down may be the key. When I sit here at my desk with the surface covered a foot thick, I find it impossible to start. But if I clear it off and put just one thing there, the next thing, I find I can get it done.
Thanks,
Randy
Randy,
There are those tasks that are not so pleasurable, like shoveling snow, but if you pick work you like doing the work is not so daunting. Also, being grateful that you’ve accomplished the work is always good. I think finding things to be grateful about along the way help make the work lighter.
I think it’s very helpful that everyone that is physically able, spend part of their early life in simple labor. It is a wonderful training ground for the body and mind.
I spent literally hundreds, if not thousands of hours on long, repetitive tasks as a child - many of them on top of a tractor. Doing the work, and having the time to think and wonder, is what helped shape me. Plowing a hundred acre field is a metaphor for starting task and finishing it if there ever was one. At the start it appears impossible, undoable.
Thanks,
Randy
Great post. I think of Tuesday as Ticked off Tuesday because Monday I try to catch up on all the “little stuff” leaving Tuesday for at least one big project. Then I’m totally annoyed about 1) having a big project or 2) people distracting me from a big project until I make some headway on said big project - then I am in such a great mood after I do get it done!
I agree with you. If it weren’t for all these people and their distractions I’d get so much done!
Of course, most of the people distracting me are clients, family, and friends, so I think I’ll keep the distractions.
Your method of building a “shape” for your week can be very effective - good luck!
Randy