Productivity: Completing Large Projects with “Next Actions” (Part 2)

In the previous post, we introduced the time management principle of using Next Actions to tackle large, overwhelming projects. The idea is to complete one small action at a time and to always decide the Next Action before moving on to other tasks. Let's look at another example of this idea.

Another Example

If the steps for your project are mostly similar, like with my magazine pile project mentioned in the previous post, then determining the Next Action is easy. The system is a little more complicated if the steps vary, so that the time needed for each step differs. But the principle is the same: Do a step in one session, then determine the step for the next session.

For example, I needed to upgrade my PC's operating system, but I knew that it would effect all of my hardware and software needs. Feeling overwhelmed, I kept putting it off. Months went by. No progress was made. So I tackled it in baby pieces.

The first step was simple: Find out if my current hardware could handle the upgrade. I did a quick online search, requiring only a basic yes/no answer that day.

The next step was to find out if I needed new drivers for peripherals. One day, I made the list of items to check. Then each day, I researched the driver for one item.

If my hardware couldn't handle the upgrade, I would have created a tangential subproject, the first step being to list which pieces I would have to upgrade, followed by researching costs.

On the software side, the first step was simply to list my essential software programs.

Then, I picked the first program on the list. I checked if it supported the new OS version and made a decision whether to upgrade it or replace it. Only that decision with no further commitment that day. I went through the software list alphabetically, one by one.

And so on, step by step.

You get the idea. Pick tiny steps to make progress... any progress.

Don't Obligate Yourself

During any one sitting session, never obligate yourself to accomplish more than the one next small action plus selecting the next action. That path leads to stress and freezes your productivity.

If, while determining the next action, you find yourself thinking, "I could do that right now", then go ahead and do it. You may find yourself in a flow situation where you do a step, you set the next step, you do that, you set the next step, and so on, depending on how much time you have available.

If you don't find yourself in this flow state, don't worry about it, just determine the next task. Don't force yourself.

Any Progress Beats No Progress

Obviously, with this system, progress may happen very slowly. You may not feel like you're making headway, but as long as you keep going, you will eventually finish. In my experience, if you're stuck on an activity, it can languish for months (or even years) with no progress. Any little progress is better than none. And these tiny steps will add up.

Even if you don't accomplish much in each step, taking that step keeps your momentum going, so you don't lose track of where you are. So when you do have longer blocks of time, you don't waste them reminding yourself where you were.

I know someone who doesn't like to start a project until he knows he'll have a enough time to finish it. Result? He never starts any of those types of projects. And he never finishes them.

You can finish large projects just one tiny unintimidating task at a time.

Remember: Mountains can be moved one grain of sand at a time.

If you need a software solution for saving project notes, flexible to-do lists, and Next Actions lists, and for crossing them off as you complete them, try Personal Knowbase freeform note organizer.