How do you approach large, multi-tiered, seemingly endless and sometimes extremely overwhelming projects?
Even when you know exactly what you'll get out of completing the work or achieving a milestone, sometimes you just can't get yourself to sit down and focus on the task. You either don't know where to start or lack the knowledge or tools to see the entire process when you're in that first stage.
Working on any business related or personal project that is so big you can't even estimate how long it's going to take you to finish it can be somewhat overwhelming. But no matter how big it is or how daunting it may seem at first, there are a few steps that will help you get started and generate enough energy so that the rest will work itself out as you go.
#1 - Plan your Framework
Outlining the steps you need to get from the starting point to completing your project is key.
Even if you're not sure what you're going to do in each step and how exactly you're going to complete it, you need to map out your steps. This will help simplify the project in your mind and break it down to small, attainable goals that you can work on daily.
#2 - Focus on the Why
There's a reason you decided to take on that project, build that website or work on that business plan for your new idea. Remind yourself the benefits of achieving what you set out to do and picture yourself after you've already completed it. What would be the next steps? How will it make you feel? How will your life be different after you succeed in completing it?
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” — Arthur Ashe
#3 - Define Small, Attainable Goals
Creating a daily spreadsheet with small goals that will help you focus on small assignments to keep going in the right direction is extremely important. It helps making the process feel a lot less overwhelming and it increases the feeling of satisfaction and fulfilment when you can mark those goals as completed, knowing that you don't have to complete everything at once, you just have to continue taking small steps every day in order to ultimately get to where you want to be.
#4 - Strive to get to the Finish Line, not for Perfection
If you tell yourself that every little detail has to be perfect you will hurt your chances of completing your project. Focus on getting there, not on perfecting what you do. You'll always have the chance to revise your work once you finish, and it will be much more effective when you're done because you will be able to see the big picture and therefore the actual importance of specific details to the project.
Project Management Does Not Have to be a Nightmare
No project is too big to handle when you break it down to enough small pieces and just go for it. And if you feel you need help with getting it done properly,