Managing projects in your family life can be a tricky thing. Either you have too many projects going on at once or you never seem to get any projects done at all. Here are a few tips to help you get a better handle on managing your family projects.
Define the project correctly by making sure you actually have a project not a task. A project is simply something that needs done that requires more than one step or task. So for example, a project may be to clean out a closet and a task within this project is to wipe done closet shelves. This is important because if you simply write down the task, wipe down closet shelves, you will have completely underestimated the size of the project and the time it takes to complete because there is a lot more that typically goes into cleaning out a closet than just wiping down shelves.
When defining projects, start with the big picture by asking yourself, “What do I want the end result to be (a clean clutter free closet)?” Then just focus on identifying the steps or tasks it will take to complete the project.
Keep the project list small by only focusing on projects that are of very high importance to you or projects you will realistically get done in the next 60 days. As a busy parent, you don’t need to add any additional stress or overwhelm to your life caused by a very long project list that you can’t realistically get finished.
Don’t over analyze the projects and stress yourself out by thinking you have to have every single task identified before getting started. To start a project all you need to do is identify the one next thing you have to do. Once you complete that task go onto the next. This will help keep projects from seeming overwhelming and help you avoid procrastination.
Save project tasks and notes that you will do frequently or repeatedly so that you don’t have to rethink everything the next time you have to do the project. This strategy works really well for things like cleaning out closets, holiday preparations, and birthday parties.
Schedule time on your calendar and add it to your planning calendar, so that you can make time in your schedule and plan ahead. This will help you and your family stay focused, plan, and better ensure you actually get the project done.
Be realistic about how much time you will actually need to accomplish the project, by estimating up front the time needed and then adding on at least 25% more time. Also, don’t underestimate the amount of time needed for projects you outsource. Even if you hire someone to do the bulk of the work, the project is still going to require time from you to manage, oversee, and make decisions (i.e. paint colors, layouts, etc.).
Completing projects can give you a tremendous amount of satisfaction and stress, so be smart before starting a new project by planning in advance, being realistic about what you can accomplish, and not over analyzing. It will eventually get done! |
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