“Well begun is half done.
~ Aristotle

Last week’s reminder to make a list of tolerations certainly resonated. Some of you wrote to say you appreciated the post and had begun to compile your list.

Others said that while it sounded like a good idea, seeing a long To Do list tends to overwhelm you. No matter how much you want to take care of your projects, lists seem to paralyze rather than energize you. If you’re in this group, you may be wondering what the solution is.

How can you move forward with your list when just looking at it causes you anxiety?

Years ago when I was responsible for recruiting for a small software company, we used to ask the following interview question: “When faced with a list of tasks, do you usually start with the harder tasks or the easier ones?” The responses were mixed. I was always impressed with the applicants who said they tended to knock out the more difficult tasks first, although I must admit, it was hard for me to relate. I’m more likely to ease my way into chores, starting with the ones I can do in a jiffy.

The act of crossing off the smaller items makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something and gives me energy to tackle the harder items.

Is one way better than the other?

I’m not sure. When I work with clients who are writing books, I tell them any road that gets them there is a good one.

Some people are top-down thinkers. They make outlines and then fill them in, adding more and more detail. This is probably the most efficient way to complete a writing project. But other people’s minds don’t work that way. Even though they have a lot to share, the information is stored differently in their brains, so it’s more difficult for them to access it in an organized fashion. Writing books is hard. It’s not surprising that even highly motivated people tend to procrastinate.

Over the years I’ve learned some helpful tips for attacking projects (or lists), especially large ones. Two of my favorite methods are: 1) the Swiss Cheese method, and the 2) the Bird by Bird method. Both are based on metaphors, so they’re easy to remember.

1. The Swiss Cheese method comes from the business and time management world. The idea is to break down large tasks into smaller ones, and then use small bits of time before meetings or while waiting for return phone calls to poke holes in the job until it’s completed. This is also sometimes presented as the Salami method, where you conquer tasks slice by slice.

Are you hungry yet? (Throw in some crackers and fruit and you’ve got a charcuterie board!)

2. The Bird by Bird method comes from the writing world, from author Anne Lamott. Here’s the iconic passage that gives her book Bird by Bird its title:

“Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he’d had three months to write. It was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother’s shoulder, and said, ‘Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.’”

Those simple words of wisdom passed down from Anne’s father have been motivating scribes for years.

No matter which method you use, every time you do one small piece of a project, or cross one item off your list, you will get a Dopamine hit. Dopamine is a lesser known neurotransmitter than serotonin (of SSRI fame), but it’s an important one, because it has to do with motivation. Made by the body and used by the nervous system, it helps us “strive, focus, and find things interesting.” (The drug Ritalin, which helps people with ADD focus, works by boosting Dopamine.) Even a little surge of it can propel you forward, leading to the completion of more tasks. For me, once I get going, I tend to keep going until I’m either tired or bored.

Motivation is a tricky topic. You may have to experiment to see what works for you. Self-talk is important. You’ll have more success using positive self-talk when you complete tasks than using negative self-talk to berate yourself when you put them off.

Visualization can help, too. Imagine how pleased you will be when you’ve crossed off every item on your list! No longer anxious about it, you’ll be a happy bird for sure!

Affectionately,

Elaine