how to complete tasks

Managing Projects And Communication

We had an outside project manager
for our solar project.

He sucked great big donkey b@lls.

He was terrible at scheduling
and time management.
But we would have been
okay with that
if he had communicated
the changes in scheduling.

He told us
work would start
on X day.

On X day,
we cleared our schedules
and waited around the site
for the team to arrive.

They never arrived.
The start day had been pushed back
yet again
and the project manager
didn’t inform us.

Communication is a HUGE part
of project management.

Aligning everyone
is often 90%
of the project manager role.

The right people have to be
in the right places
completing the right tasks
at the right time.

Ensure you communicate well
and often.

Making Hay While The Sun Shines

My farming granddad
had a saying
– Make hay
while the sun shines.

Take advantage
when great circumstances
to complete certain tasks
present themselves.

For example,
when I’m in a bad mood,
I edit stories.
I don’t hesitate
to scrap entire scenes
then.

After I’ve submitted a story
to my editor
and I’m riding that energy high,
as another example,
I continue to work hard
and complete a sh*tload of promo
in advance.

Make hay
while the sun shines.

When the conditions
are great
to complete a certain task,
rearrange your schedule
and complete that task.

Do It Now

A home repair
had to be completed
but it wasn’t urgent.

I considered doing it.
Then I got a bout
of the lazies.
And I told myself,
“Nah. It’ll wait.”

It didn’t wait.
And it was nearly
a costly disaster.

This happens too many times.

I think I should do something.
Then I convince myself
it can wait.
And it ends up
biting me on the a$$,
costing me time
and/or money.

That thing your gut
is telling you to do?

It can’t wait.

Do it now.

If They Don’t Ask Me Directly…

A writer posted a question
about my specific niche.

I thought about answering it
but then I realized
if they had explored the niche
at all,
they know I write in it.

It would have been
super easy
for them
to ask me that question.

They didn’t.
Which likely meant
they didn’t want my input.

So I saved myself
some time and frustration
and went back to work
on my projects.

If you’re not asked
a question
directly,
think hard
about whether or not
you want to expend energy
answering that question.
Especially on social media.

Your time is precious.
Protect it.

Keep A Done List

It is easy
to become distracted,
to be swept into mini ’emergencies’
and not complete the more important tasks.

To-do lists keep me on track.

But done lists
are almost as important
to my success.

These are lists
of all the big tasks
I’ve completed
over a year or a month or a week.

Adding tasks to the done list
keeps me motivated.
It pushes me to accomplish more.

And reviewing done lists
gives me a sense of accomplishment.

When I wonder
if my sacrifices are worth it,
if I’m progressing,
I look at a done list
and I remember all I’ve accomplished.

Consider keeping
a done list.

Getting Started

Getting started,
for me,
is the most difficult part
of any project
or
any day.

There are a few tricks
I use.

I remind myself
that it IS the most difficult part
and that once I start,
momentum will kick in
and it will become much easier.

I give myself
permission to start badly.
I’ll write awful scenes,
for example,
knowing once I get going,
I’ll have the momentum
to go back and revise them.

The focus is to start.
It isn’t to be perfect
or even to finish.

I’ll start with a favorite task,
something I love to do.

Or I’ll start with an easy task,
something I can complete
quickly
without much struggle.

I’ll end the previous day
in the middle of something.
That way,
the next day,
I’ll already be partially finished
that task
and I’ll know what I’m doing.

Do what you can
to get started.
The process will
become easier.

Start.