The Lazy Genius Podcast - #353 How to Plan a Project and Actually Finish It

Episode Date: February 19, 2024

There’s nothing wrong with starting a project and not finishing it or living with many projects in various states of completion. This episode is simply a path for you to follow if not finishing a project is getting on your nerves enough to change it, if it’s affecting your quality of life.   Helpful Companion Links Sign up for the Latest Lazy Listens email. Grab a copy of my book The Lazy Genius Kitchen or The Lazy Genius Way! (Affiliate links) Download a transcript of this episode. This podcast is hosted by Kendra Adachi and executive produced by Kendra Adachi, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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From binge all episodes exclusively on Paramount Plus. there. You're listening to the lazy genius podcast. I'm Kendra Adachi and I'm here to help you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. Today is episode 353, how to plan a project and actually finish it. Listen to me, there is nothing wrong with starting a project and not finishing it or living with many projects in various states of completion. There is literally zero wrong with that. this episode is simply a path for you to follow if not finishing your project is getting on your nerves enough to change it. You know, like if it's affecting your quality of life, even though there's nothing wrong with living with unfinished projects, maybe you just don't want to. So in this episode,

I'm going to share the four characteristics of a project so you know how to spot one, which is weirdly important, and then seven steps to finishing that project. Okay? Let's jump in. So first, let's talk about the four characteristics of a project. Number one, there is one main objective, right? A project has a purpose or an end game. Number two, a project has an actual end. Projects are not hobbies, you know, where you're always working on a thing or like a routine that's recurring. Projects have an end. Number three, a project is out of your ordinary. It is outside of your daily and week Rhythms, which is one of the biggest challenges in finishing a project at all. It's out of your ordinary. It needs special attention. And number four, a project requires more than one

decision or action. It's made up of multiple pieces and parts, right? So a project has a main purpose, an end. It's out of your ordinary, and it requires more than one decision or action. Now, let's look at some examples of what is and isn't a project. Is reorganizing your kitchen cabinets a project? Well, let's see. First, it does have a main objective, right? Something like, you know, being able to access your stuff more easily. Two, once those cabinets are reorganized, you're done, right?

So it does have an end. The third part, it definitely is outside of your ordinary. My guess is you don't normally spend time in the kitchen, pulling everything out of cabinets and putting it back again. Also, because of the rhythms that do exist in a kitchen on a daily, often multiple times a day basis, doing anything that disrupts the kitchen is not only going to be out of your ordinary, but it is going to even impact the ordinary that already happens there, right? So it's definitely out of your ordinary. And then four, it requires more than one decision or action. Absolutely it does. You have to empty multiple cabinets and decide, you know,

where all the categories of things go. You have to decide what you'll make for lunch or dinner or whatever meal is next after having upended your kitchen in order to reorganize it. You have to decide what you're going to keep and what you're going to get rid of. You have to put everything back. Lots of decisions and actions. So this checks all four boxes. Reorganizing your kitchen cabinets is absolutely a project. Okay. Is planning a party or a gathering of some kind a project? Does it have a single purpose. Yes, it does. It has the purpose of, you know, getting people together for whatever reason, for a birthday, for a celebration of some kind, right? Number two, does it have an end? Yeah, it does. Once the gathering is over, so is the project. It doesn't go past that, right?

Number three, is it out of your ordinary? Absolutely. If you don't normally have people over or you don't normally have this many people over, it's for sure different than your usual rhythms. And then four, does it have multiple decisions and actions? Yes, many. Who will you invite? What will you do? What food will be there? Who is bringing other stuff? Those are just decisions. Those aren't even the actions that come with it. So it's all kinds. So having a party or some sort of gathering is definitely a project. Now, let's say that you have dinner with a family or a group of friends on a fairly regular basis, like every third Friday or something. Now, is that a project? Sure, there is purpose behind it. And yes, when the gathering is actually over, it's over. And yes, you still have to decide where to

eat and certain things. But if this meal or gathering is already in your rhythm, it's not really a project, is it? If you're a person who always gets coffee with a group of friends on, you know, the first Saturday morning of the month, or you regularly have done. dinner with your sister's family who lives down the street, even if it's not always on the same day. That gathering, it is not out of the ordinary. It's not really a project. And it doesn't feel like a project either, does it? It's kind of like, you know, paying bills or vacuuming the floor.

Definitely more fun than those two. But it's something you regularly do, which means if you procrastinate, it'll likely still happen because not only is it part of your rhythm, but it's probably part of other people's them too. Do you see the difference? When it comes to a project, all four of these characteristics need to be true. That way you can approach the thing specifically as a project. Now, one quick thing here. If you're hearing these examples, and I just said pay bills and vacuuming the floor, and you're thinking about things that are not technically projects like that, like paying bills, but they still seem stressful like an undone project? My guess is that's because that thing like paying the bills

is not in a rhythm. So even though your bills, they do have to be paid every month, you have not systemized the regularity of paying those bills. They might actually feel like a project because they feel out of your ordinary. You don't have a rhythm for them yet. That's why I really love these four characteristics. They help you see, you know, projects, but they also help you see why some things that are, quote unquote, supposed to be regular don't feel like it. They feel like projects. And you're sitting in a slew of ones that are undone, even though they're supposed to be regular things, you know? So in the smallest steps, just notice what tasks that feel like projects need just a little systemizing, just a little bit of a little bit of a flow so they're more in

your ordinary rhythm. So that's just a little side note tip there. Okay. So the four characteristics of a project, it has an objective, it has an end, it's out of your ordinary, and it requires multiple decisions or actions. Now, since I am sure you have got at least one project on your mind, Like even now as you're listening, let's talk about these seven steps to finishing a project. Want to go electric without sacrificing fun? That's the Volkswagen ID4. All-electric and thoughtfully designed to elevate your modern lifestyle. The Volkswagen ID4 is fun to drive with instant acceleration that makes city streets feel like open roads.

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It's something waiting for us in everyday life. whether in a city street or a moment with a work of art. I'm Dr. Keltner, host of the Science of Happiness podcast. Join me for Cities of Aw, a special series on how our public spaces can spark awe, wonder, and enhance the quality of public life. You can find us wherever you listen to your podcasts. Okay, step one when finishing a project is very small. It's a very, very small step.

And it is to make a plan to assess the project. like decide a time when you're going to assess this project. So the first step is not to assess the project. It is to schedule a time to look at it. We've got to start that small, y'all. Like, you intuitively know that you need to spend some time thinking about how to, you know, prepare for your kids' summer clothes needs, how to finally be done refinishing that table that you bought it in an estate sale, it's been sitting unfinished, how to how to reorganize your closet, since you haven't thoughtfully organized it since you moved into your house and a million other things, you know that there are things that you need to think about. But knowing you should think about them

and then actually taking the time to think about them are two different things. That's why step one is literally to make a plan of when you're going to assess your project. Put an appointment on your calendar or just decide that, you know, this Saturday morning while you're drinking your coffee, you're going to sit down with the rest of these steps and you're going to think through your project. but step one is just to make a plan to assess it. That's it. That's as small as we start. Step two is to assess the objective. Look at your objective. Has the reason that you wanted to start this project? Has it changed? Is the purpose different? Now, I think this happens a lot in our homes, especially. We get big black trash bag energy, right, where we're just fed up.

with some kind of chaos in our house. And whether it's because of a busy season or hormones or stepping on one too many broken crayons, we rage and loudly declare that things are going to be different around here. Then we get big project energy and feel compelled to organize the toy cabinet or all the kitchen cabinets or find a new place to hang coats. Since you can't find your perfect solution for that. But then you access your inner carpenter who only, has ideas and not a lot of skill and you end up buying supplies optimistically to build something

for your coats, but those sit on the floor a while because you don't know what you're doing. Like that energy is probably very familiar, right? We swing real big. We often declare the beginning of a project because of an understandable frustration in our regular lives. But then it sits unfinished. So without naming the real purpose of a project, we're going to get swept up in whatever frustration we're feeling when we are emotionally.

physically or hormonally compromised. And now we're stuck with an unfinished project we don't really care about anymore. Like really, we didn't need to start that project. We just needed to take a nap. So that's why step two is to assess the objective. Why did you want to do this project in the first place? And do you want to finish it for the same reason. Maybe you do still want to complete it. But you have a different reason now, right? Name the reason, name the purpose, name the objective for this project, so you'll have a renewed sense of why you want to finish it in the first place. Okay, so step one is to schedule a time to think about your project. Step two is to assess the purpose or the objective of that project.

Step three is to confirm the end. Remember, all projects have an end, right? So name when this project will end. It could be when a particular thing is done, you know, like all the new doorknobs are installed. Or it could be a specific date. you know, you're hosting extended family over spring break or something. And you want your guest room to be finished in time for that. That's a project and it needs an end.

So confirm what the end is. Maybe you had an end date and you need to change it. Maybe your expectations of what finished means are too high. And your end needs to be a bit more manageable, a bit more reasonable. Regardless of what it means specifically for you and your project and your season of life, confirm the end. That's step three. Okay, step four is to set aside time for the project. Now listen to me, because a project is out of the ordinary. You cannot work on it and you definitely cannot finish it without setting aside specific time. The rhythms and responsibilities of your

daily life will fill up your days so easily, right? They already do. It is so rare. that any of us have this long stretch of free time in front of us also with the energy to do something productive with it. Like that, we don't just happen upon that. Projects really need to be planned. So if you have confirmed your objective for your project, you really know why you want to do it and why it's worth it and you've given yourself an end, now set aside time for it. Block off some time in your calendar so you can give the time, give it the time you want to give it, you know? it does not have to be one huge day to finish the project at once. It definitely can be. But it could also just be like an hour a week over the next six weeks to do a little bit at a time. Now, our next step,

step five, will help you see what those little bits are. But here's why we set aside time first. Here's why we set aside time before we move to step five and see what there is to do. If you can't find time to set aside for this project, maybe now is not the season for this project. If you just, you know, don't even see how you can grab this hour here or this half day there, maybe now is not the season. Part of setting aside time is making sure you have the time in the first place. Okay. Now step five.

Step five is break down the decisions and the actions. Remember, a project is made up of multiple decisions and multiple actions. Okay. And this is where the rubber meets the road. This is a real time that we get our project going. buying gifts for your kids teachers at the end of the year. That is a project. It requires multiple decisions and actions. You have to decide who you're given a gift to. Is it just their regular teachers or their encore teachers or their front office or the other staff members? Then you have to

decide what to give them. And if everyone gets the same thing, then you have to get the stuff. Wrap it if you're going to wrap it. Figure out how to deliver it. So many decisions and actions, right? That's a project. Now listen to me. Listen to me. You cannot put that on your to-do list. You cannot put a project, a singular project, on your to-do list. You cannot put get-teacher gifts on your to-do list. Or finish the guest bedroom, or make the yard prettier, or plan summer vacation. All of those are way too big to put on a to-do list because all of them are made up of so many pieces and parts.

A project is not a singular task. but you might be treating it like one. That's probably why it's still unfinished. You know why it matters. You know when you want it to be done. But you're putting something that contains multiple decisions and actions into a single phrase that just keeps getting moved from to do list to do list. Does that make sense?

So if you have a project in your life and you have gone through the other four steps already, right, the next thing you need to do is break down the project into decisions and actions. That's really the only way you're going to finish it. So you can start from the beginning and walk through what you need to decide, what you need to do. You could start from the end of the project and reverse engineer, how to get everything done. Now, you are not scheduling these things. You're just seeing these decisions and actions as individual tasks. And please don't ignore the decision part of this. Actions are easier to see, but decisions often inform what those actions are. So be sure you're paying attention to what you need to decide, not just what you need to do.

Now, as you make this list, you'll want to make the pieces and parts small enough so that each one does not feel overwhelming. Okay. Now, the whole list together, you know, seeing all the individual decisions and actions, it might feel a little overwhelming. Depending on the size of the project, there might be a lot to do. You know, that's why people who do any kind of home renovation are so weary by the end. Decision fatigue has come to town. and you just cannot anymore. But the smaller you make your decisions and your actions,

the less overwhelming each individual one is. You don't want each individual task to be overwhelming. If it is, make it even smaller. Then you're more likely to get your stuff done. Plus, there's more to mark off. Some of y'all really like that. And it's easier to see your progress rather than just having one singular thing on your list. Okay, so let's go back to the guest.

room example, okay? Let's say you've been writing finished guest room on your list for weeks and weeks. We have now determined that is way too big, right? Way, way too big. Even something like get a new dresser. That could be too big if you have not yet decided what style you want, how much you want to spend, where you want to look for it. You might loosely have the idea in your head that you would love to find something secondhand and maybe even paint it, you know, because that seems fun. And you follow accounts on Instagram like I do that do furniture refurbs and you're like, that's so cute. I want my dresser to look like that. But what if you don't already have a rhythm of visiting your local thrift stores?

What if you have never painted furniture? If you're not already in the habit of looking for secondhand things or if you don't have the tools or skills or experience for painting furniture. Now, that does not mean you can't get a secondhand dresser. But it does mean you're going to have a lot more decisions and actions to complete your project. And therefore, you will need more time. You'll need more time because you've never done this before. And that's just for the dresser, not the entire room. You see what I mean?

All this might sound a little nuts, but you need to decide even how much time you're willing to spend looking for a piece of furniture. If you're having trouble moving through a project and getting to the finish line of it, there is something that is too big. There's something that's too big and you have to make it smaller. If you don't do that, you're going to wait too long and you're going to get too close to that end date that you've set that might not be movable. And then you'll be throwing together a room that does not reflect your style

or what matters to you. It might cost more than you want it to. Are you seeing it? Projects require multiple decisions and tasks. You are not the problem here. It's not that you're not. flitened enough or good at this thing. There's a lot to do probably. And unless you break your project down into those individual decisions and then the individual tasks that come out of those

decisions, you're going to sit on your unfinished project for a long time. Or you'll be forced to finish the project in a way you don't really love. Okay. So that's step five. Let's break it down. Now step six is to schedule just the next couple things. There's a chance that your list of decisions and actions, it will be long, you know, depending on the project. That's okay. That's normal even. It doesn't have to be long, but it might be. Don't feel the pressure, no matter how long the list is, to decide everything now. That won't work anyway. Don't feel the pressure to schedule each task now either, right? Instead, step six is to just schedule the next couple things. Decide the next couple things, do the next couple of things. Look at your list and pick a couple of things on it that make

the most sense to do next and then use the time that you already set aside in step four, you know, to do those couple of things. Once they're done, schedule the next couple things in time you already set aside or in new times that you need to add. Start small is what I'm saying. Just a couple tasks at a time in the time that you already allotted. And then finally, step seven, keep checking in. Keep your list of decisions and tasks close at hand, you know, mark things off as you do them. Maybe look at it, I don't know, once a week when you're looking at your schedule for the week, when you're figuring out carpool, when you're meal planning. Like, find a regular preexisting time when you're already doing some sort of planning. And you can check in on your project then.

If you don't keep checking in, you'll lose momentum. Now, is that awful? No, you'll survive a loss of momentum. Like, it's okay. But if you'd like to keep your project going and cross the finish line for it and your season allows that, keep checking in. Okay, so to recap, our seven steps for finishing a project are make a plan to assess the project. Just start there. Just set aside a little time.

to think through these steps. Number two, assess the objective. Is my reason for doing this the same? Do I even want to finish this thing at all? Number three, confirm the end. Is it a date? Is it whatever the task looks like at the end? Make sure you know what the end is. Step four, set aside time for the project. Not just so you'll do it, but you'll see if you actually have time for it. maybe now is not the season, and that's okay. Step five, break down the decisions and actions. You've got to see all these parts. A project, a singular project does not belong on your to-do list.

It will not happen otherwise. Step six, schedule the next couple things. Not everything, just the next couple things. And then keep checking in so that you can stay in a rhythm with this project that matters to you. And that's how to plan a project. and actually finish it. All right, before we go, let's celebrate the lazy genius of the week. This week, it's Laura Allen with a wildly relatable food prep idea.

Laura writes this. You know all those perfectly crunchy, salty, tiny tortilla chip pieces they get left at the bottom of the bag? At our house, there's always a lot of those after my boys devour late night chips and salsa. Enter my stroke of genius one day. I date a gallon plastic bag and each time the boys plow through another bag of tortilla chips, I add the remnants to that bag. These make a great base for Southwest casserole or toppings for a taco salad, tortilla suit, chili. I feel like I'm getting more bang for my buck and not

wasting half the quantity in the original chip bag. Plus, I love the extra crunch it adds to whatever dish I add. Isn't this such a great idea? We all know about the chip crumbs. Well, we totally. I'm going to start doing this because Annie, my daughter Annie like prefers the crumbs. It's interesting. When we have nachos for dinner. She'll make what she calls a nacho scramble where she'll crumble up her chips on purpose and then mix the pieces together with meat and cheese. And then she eats it with a spoon, like a tiny little weirdo. Now, I'm just going to keep a bag of chip crumbles, bottom of the bag chip crumbles for her. So thank you for this idea, Laura. I love little tiny simple things like this that make life a little easier. So thank you for sharing and congratulations on being the lazy

genius of the week. This episode is hosted by me, Kendra Adachi, and executive produced by Kendra Adachi, Jenna Fisher, and Angela Kinsey. The Lazy Genius podcast is enthusiastically part of the Office Ladies Network. Thanks so much for listening. And until next time, be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. I'm Kendra. I'll see you next week. Have you ever felt like you were living just a B or B plus life? It's so dangerous to live that, more dangerous than a B minus or a C plus life because when you're living a B or B plus life, you don't change it. You think it's good enough.

Is it? I'm Susie Welch. I host a podcast called Becoming You. People think, okay, an A plus life is not available to me, but there is a way. We are all in the process of becoming ourselves. Listen to Becoming You wherever you get your podcasts.