Too many unfinished projects?
7 Time Management
Strategies to Move Stalled
Projects to the Finish Line
by Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D.
Q. I have several projects going at once -- but I
never seem to finish them! I'm pulled in so many different directions
-- and I end up with nothing to show for my efforts!
A. While you're in a creative mode, you're most
likely to be swamped with ideas! Feeling swamped can be a source of
stress. Here's how to deal with the "too many to finish" challenge.
(1) Stop berating
yourself for not finishing
a project. Instead, say, "I don't feel ready to move in that direction.
I'll write down the idea and file it away for the future."
(2) Tell a
story about what would happen if
you finished each project. "Susan finished all her art projects and..."
You may be surprised what comes up. One client resisted finishing a
book because she dreaded getting a slew of rejections from agents.
Another resisted applying for jobs because she dreaded spending eight
hours chained to a desk.
(3) Review your
finances. If you're desperate
to finish these projects to make money, fear may be blocking your
intuition. You'll have trouble thinking clearly and setting priorities.
On the other hand, if you don't need the work, you
may not be motivated. Some people need a certain amount of pressure to
get moving.
(4) List up to
three goals that you'd like to
accomplish in the next six months, even if you do nothing else. Some
people need to focus on a single goal or they get hopelessly
distracted. However, others (including most gifted adults) are
multi-taskers, who aren't happy unless they're juggling several balls
in the air.
(5) Study
the market for each project you
are considering. Once you've identified your target customers and the
need you'll be meeting -- and made sure people will pay for what you
offer -- you'll realize whether moving forward makes sense.
(6) File
each new idea in a computer or paper
folder or set up an "idea board" near your desk. As you think of ways
to flesh out an idea, add notes to each folder. Give each idea time to
mature. Some will fade away on their own; others will ripen into
exciting opportunities.
(7) Create
a strong support system, even if
you have to hire a consultant or coach. As Julia Cameron wrote in The
Artist's Way, the notion of solitary creativity is nothing but a
stereotype. Writers, artists, business owners and professionals need
opportunities to talk about their progress. They need to feel someone
cares about what they're doing and believes in them.
In my experience, access to a support network tends
to be the single greatest source of success in any field.