If you’ve ever thought, “I can’t stop procrastinating,” you’re not alone. We all seem to have those stalled projects we never quite get around to completing. Sometimes we just need a little encouragement.
What unfinished task could you wrap up this month? Perhaps it’s the second coat of paint on the baseboard trim, or the final rows on the blanket you were knitting, or the ending to the short story you started, or finishing the winter garden clean-up.
Last year at this time, my unfinished task was to hang two towel bars in my son’s bathroom. I already had the materials, but kept procrastinating because I needed to remove the old hardware (attached with sagging molly bolts), patch the wall and touch up the paint.
My quiet hours during the January Money Diet proved to be the perfect time to tackle the upgrade, and gave my son a sturdy place to hang towels which was an added benefit.
Tips to Get Your Project Done
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small, manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” —Mark Twain
Why is it so challenging sometimes to simply get started on a project? As the days go by, we feel increased pressure and that only makes it worse.
You’ve probably heard the quote, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
This week, take some steps towards finishing your project.
Set a timer for 15 minutes. Put all distractions away. For 15 minutes, focus only on your project. Knit a couple rows. Get all the tools out to install the blinds. Wipe down the trim so it’s ready to paint. Write a couple paragraphs for your novel.
Once the momentum starts, perhaps you’ll be inspired to keep going beyond 15 minutes. If so, that’s great! As the saying goes, “If the water’s runnin,’ you’ve got to grab a bucket and capture it.”
How About You?
Can you finish a project this month? Could you rescue a project from its current holding pattern?
Try to spend at least 15 minutes a day for the next 7 days working on your project, and leave your results below in the Comments.
Think of the enormous satisfaction and sense of accomplishment we’ll all feel when we finish something.
We’d love to hear what tasks you complete during this January Money Diet month. Feel free to post your photos and comments on the Money Diet Community Facebook Group. Here’s to your success!
Best always,
P.P. S. If you use Pinterest to save articles and ideas, here’s a handy pin:
It might seem silly but I am cleaning the upstairs desk and taking it down. All it has become is a drop point for my husband. It is in our second bedroom and I can’t even use it anymore so it is time for it to be cleaned and go to someone else. There is also a two drawer file cabinet that is going to be emptied also. Always a Mom even though my children are grown I had continued to buy school folders and items like that, They are all out of college now so time to stop. It is hard but this year no more. Times are hard and I am in the year of savings and organizing. God bless