We often jump right into a new, big project without forethought as to what will be required. It could involve rearranging priorities to secure time. It may necessitate recruiting a team to help, or maybe it consists of understanding the project’s parameters and budget.
In the case of the postcards I wrote about yesterday (dot #4370), it involved ordering pens. Ultimately, I used 36 pens to complete my writing. I thought I had enough with two new boxes but learned that was insufficient, and had to scramble to order more.
A few thoughts from this:
- You’ll always need infrastructure to support your work. It’s a neglected piece of the planning — figuring out what your resource needs are, acquiring them, and perhaps, adjusting your requirements and procuring them again. It all takes time.
- When working on a big project, it helps to have tangible evidence that you’re making progress. I saved my empty pen refills so that I could recycle them (a great program at Staples) but got a bonus boost of dopamine as I saw how many were accumulating.
- Conversely, if you had laid out 36 pens and told me I needed to write until all of them were empty, it would have been a huge de-motivator. Sometimes, the focus on incremental next steps is required.
We all work on projects — whether figuring out what to make for dinner, planning a national convention, or somewhere in between. Approach your work intentionally to maximize your output and minimize your stress.
