Oftentimes if we have a big project on our to-do list, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and dwell on the amount of time and energy you must dedicate in order to get it done. Whether it’s something like a thesis, a needed renovation, or even just cleaning the house, if you look at the task as a whole you will most likely get stressed. I know I do for sure. The way I have battled this is by breaking up the job into pieces and giving myself sub-goals along the way; it becomes easy to burn yourself out if you’re constantly focused on how much you still have left to complete. It’s like your project is a giant puzzle, you must complete it piece by piece, section by section. Some sections may be larger, more intricate, or slightly irritating, but they all are important in the make-up of the big picture.
For context, the past couple months I’ve been helping build a new 3000 square foot karate studio for my instructor and I to run together. While there was no build out or construction needed, we still had to install flooring, paint the space, get internet service, furniture, the list goes on for what seems like forever! I was initially getting very stressed out thinking of everything that needs to get done, but I quickly realized I was going to have to prioritize my tasks and just focus on a few specific points each day otherwise I would feel panicked most of the day. We ended up creating a list and planning out which days to work on what, dedicating specific weekends to the laborious pieces of the puzzle. We gave ourselves goals for each month and reached out to a few friends with experience we knew that could help us with specifics.
The next time you’re daunting over a large task, try to break it up and give yourself reasonable goals along the way! Don’t forget to take breaks and try to find some enjoyment in the fact that you’re a little bit closer to your end goal.
