Stop in the Middle of a Task to Make It Easier to Get Started Later
Sometimes it can be very difficult to immerse yourself in work. You are tired, you are demotivated and afraid of your to-do list. One way to make it easier to get started is to stop working the day before in the middle of a task.
In the Harvard Business Review, author Joseph Granny offers some tips for getting the job done on the road, and this is one you can easily apply in the office:
When I need to complete long-term tasks — those that require multiple work sessions — I try to end my work in a place where it’s easier (and more enjoyable) for me to return to it later. For example, if I am confused and have a story that I enjoy writing, I deliberately pause before I finish it so I can look forward to coming back again … I just “sketched” this article. I believe this is what I postpone the most. But once I finish sketching, I enjoy fleshing it out. So I limited myself to my meeting to finish the difficult part, so I will enthusiastically take it again later.
The idea is to stop where you can easily start over: it is much easier to pick up where you left off than to start something new. By doing this, it will be easier for you to start your day productively, and then you can use that momentum to get more done.
Check out more of Granny’s tips at the link below.