I don’t know about you, but having a giant project to complete really can stress me out. When I look at the big picture, it seems overwhelming, so I break the project down into smaller steps. It goes kind of like this:
1. Take a deep breath.
2. Think about the entire project and then figure out the major steps. Put each step on a timeline, working backwards from the due date.
3. Break each major step into small steps.
4. Start working on the first small step.
Yes, writing up the company’s very first staff manual (and all employee job descriptions) in two weeks sounds impossible, but completing the pages on employee dress codes and conduct today sounds very possible. As long as you make each small deadline, that big project will be done on time.
Originally posted on April 2, 2006 @ 5:46 am
This is a great point! I also like to break down projects for motivational aspects. Smaller projects are easier to handle, and they also provide a quicker feeling of satisfaction as you finish them individually.
I find this much easier when I am working on a long project on which I could lose my focus.
Hi Alex,
Yes, that feeling of satisfaction is another great reason to break projects down into smaller steps.