A recurrent theme throughout my life has been inability to act due to simply not knowing where to start.
Or not starting something because I feel overwhelmed with the amount to do. Translation – again not knowing where to start.
This is a subject I’ve posted about before – although not quite the same theme – it was something very similar. Remember ‘Just Do It’?
Currently I cannot counter argue that I do not have time. Time is one thing I do have. My mobility however is lacking, so anything physical is taking twice as long to do. Decluttering closets and cupboards is a no-no.
Could there be a better time to crack on with all those sitting down admin jobs I have left hanging around? Those seemingly simple tasks that in reality are mentally weighing me down with the sheer volume of itsy-bitsy things to get ticked off my growing to-do list.
Propping my crutches up against the desk, there is no reason why I cannot crack open a box-file full of paperwork resulting from my Father passing away.
I did get all the absolutely necessary things done, that I had to do, immediately. I had a very clear deadline. Christmas shut-down was looming. I felt a little like Jack Bauer, boy was I against the clock on the 23 December. So much so I could actually hear the countdown from ’24’ ringing in my ears.
The Christmas came, and went. Fortunately last December I decided to take Christmas off.
January saw back to school, a funeral and hip surgery.
But my excuses are starting to wear thin. I do have time to deal with my remaining, and constantly increasing, paperwork.
The delay is purely because I don’t know where to start. It isn’t because I don’t feel up to it either physically, due to surgery, or emotionally. It’s simply not knowing where to start.
Now I’m old, and ugly, enough to know when inertia sets in, motion is the best remedy.
I could sketch out my plan of attack. I’m a fan of planning. It does work.
But in some circumstances, planning can purely be another delay tactic.
“I have spent my days stringing and unstringing my instrument, while the song I came to sing remains unsung.” (Source: Rabindranath Tagore 1861-1941 Indian Poet & Philosopher)
I do know where to start.
The box gets opened and I take out the first sheet of paper. It gets dealt with as far as it can. Anything outstanding is written on a post-it note and stuck on top of it.
Then, I go to the next piece of paper and repeat.
And repeat.
And repeat.
Then in 2 to 3 days I repeat the process. Eventually it gets done. Slowly and surely.
“It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” Confucius
“But in some circumstances, planning can purely be another delay tactic.”
So, so true! I have several projects that really should have been completed by now had I just done them instead of “planning” them… some of them have been on my to-do list for many many months and we’re not even talking about huge, time-consuming projects in one case! I have no excuse, I just don’t feel like completing them at this very moment.
I love planning and not so much doing. As a matter of fact, i abandon a lot of projects on which I have spent a great deal of time and effort in planning because once the planning is done, I feel like I’ve already gotten all the enjoyment I’m gonna get anyway 🙂
The way I cope with projects where I don’t know where to start is by ignoring them. Unless it’s something that I absolutely have to do (paying the bills, filing for taxes…), I find that usually probably about 75% of tasks that at one point seemed so important end up being unnecessary down the road. For those tasks that are complex and have to be completed, I break them down into smaller tasks and celebrate when I accomplish each step by marking them off on my to-do list. That gives me the feeling that, even though the big picture hasn’t been attained yet, I’m getting closer to the end of the tunnel.
Good luck!
“But in some circumstances, planning can purely be another delay tactic.”
So, so true! I have several projects that really should have been completed by now had I just done them instead of “planning” them… some of them have been on my to-do list for many many months and we’re not even talking about huge, time-consuming projects in one case! I have no excuse, I just don’t feel like completing them at this very moment.
I love planning and not so much doing. As a matter of fact, i abandon a lot of projects on which I have spent a great deal of time and effort in planning because once the planning is done, I feel like I’ve already gotten all the enjoyment I’m gonna get anyway 🙂
The way I cope with projects where I don’t know where to start is by ignoring them. Unless it’s something that I absolutely have to do (paying the bills, filing for taxes…), I find that usually probably about 75% of tasks that at one point seemed so important end up being unnecessary down the road. For those tasks that are complex and have to be completed, I break them down into smaller tasks and celebrate when I accomplish each step by marking them off on my to-do list. That gives me the feeling that, even though the big picture hasn’t been attained yet, I’m getting closer to the end of the tunnel.
Good luck!
This happens to me all the time. I’ll literally stand in the living room for five minutes trying to figure out what I should do next. I also find that when I have extra time in my day I get nothing accomplished. It’s almost like I thrive when I’m busy and can schedule the paperwork. You’ll get there! I think the first step is figuring it out. At least you know what needs to be done.
This happens to me all the time. I’ll literally stand in the living room for five minutes trying to figure out what I should do next. I also find that when I have extra time in my day I get nothing accomplished. It’s almost like I thrive when I’m busy and can schedule the paperwork. You’ll get there! I think the first step is figuring it out. At least you know what needs to be done.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
It’s the only way I ever get stuff done. One small step at a time. Once when I was really, really stuck (cleaning up our large walk-in closet), I had to think about it away from the scene – really plan and visualize what the first few steps would be, because I would get so overwhelmed when actually standing in the closet. That was probably my worst “get-stuck” project. But usually it’s just one step at a time. I’m not one of those people who can tear a room apart (or a box of paperwork) and blitz through it. I wish I was, but I know from experience that I just end up with a bigger mess that way. Good luck with your paperwork challenge – it sounds like you’ve already done the hardest part: getting started.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
It’s the only way I ever get stuff done. One small step at a time. Once when I was really, really stuck (cleaning up our large walk-in closet), I had to think about it away from the scene – really plan and visualize what the first few steps would be, because I would get so overwhelmed when actually standing in the closet. That was probably my worst “get-stuck” project. But usually it’s just one step at a time. I’m not one of those people who can tear a room apart (or a box of paperwork) and blitz through it. I wish I was, but I know from experience that I just end up with a bigger mess that way. Good luck with your paperwork challenge – it sounds like you’ve already done the hardest part: getting started.
I get stuck a lot. My method is to just do something. I don’t worry about if I’m doing it in the most important order (which is hard for me), I set the time for a short time and just take some action. This usually helps me feel better and able to proceed on my own, or set the timer and try it again.
I know your feeling, and I’m pretty sure that some of it is depression from dealing with all that you’ve had to recently. Hope you feel better soon.
I get stuck a lot. My method is to just do something. I don’t worry about if I’m doing it in the most important order (which is hard for me), I set the time for a short time and just take some action. This usually helps me feel better and able to proceed on my own, or set the timer and try it again.
I know your feeling, and I’m pretty sure that some of it is depression from dealing with all that you’ve had to recently. Hope you feel better soon.
Me too. I start thinking about a given task and the more I think about it the bigger it becomes in my head and the more overwhelming it seems. Soon my stomach hurts and I haven’t even done anything! I know I’m capable, but I always fear that I just won’t be “good enough” this time. I become afraid that somehow this will be the task that proves once and for all that I truly am hopelessly inadequate after all.
The only strategy that seems to work for me is to take it in small chunks. Sometimes I’ll put on a favorite CD or mix of music and tell myself that I have to work through XYZ number of songs. It helps me to put time limits on things and to celebrate making a dent and not get too focused on the finish line. It’s the same strategy I employ when I’m climbing a big hill on my bike. If I look to the top it feels like I’ll never make it, but if I look down at each passing crack in the concrete I can see that, slow as I may be moving, I am actually moving!
Me too. I start thinking about a given task and the more I think about it the bigger it becomes in my head and the more overwhelming it seems. Soon my stomach hurts and I haven’t even done anything! I know I’m capable, but I always fear that I just won’t be “good enough” this time. I become afraid that somehow this will be the task that proves once and for all that I truly am hopelessly inadequate after all.
The only strategy that seems to work for me is to take it in small chunks. Sometimes I’ll put on a favorite CD or mix of music and tell myself that I have to work through XYZ number of songs. It helps me to put time limits on things and to celebrate making a dent and not get too focused on the finish line. It’s the same strategy I employ when I’m climbing a big hill on my bike. If I look to the top it feels like I’ll never make it, but if I look down at each passing crack in the concrete I can see that, slow as I may be moving, I am actually moving!