Almost Done… Isn’t Done.

 

Do you ever get a task near completion, and then leave it?

Just as you are close to finishing it, you put it down.

You are so close.

Yet, you resist actually finishing the job.

Why don’t you finish it?

Stopping Short

You know the routine. You have put in a lot of effort on a project or task.

You have it almost done.

And then you stop.

Huh?

You worked so hard. And now, you stop mere inches, mere minutes from completion.

Sure, some things aren’t worth finishing. (Usually the ones you shouldn’t have started in the first place…)

But, 99% is not done. It is almost done.

Don’t Stop Now

Why do you want to let yourself down this close to completion?

Here are some tips to help you reach the finish line with your tasks:

• Finish Tasks to Done – There is great satisfaction is a job done. (And done well.) Don’t deprive yourself of the adrenaline rush that comes from completing a task. This is why we love “checking” things off our lists. Stopping short robs you of this motivation and energy burst.
• Tasks Undone Create More Work – Leaving tasks undone often ends up creating more work down the road. If you have to come back to that task, you will most likely have to spend even more time getting it back on track.
• 57 Thing Started and Nothing Done – Some people are really good at starting things, and not so good at finishing them. Would you rather have 57 things started or a handful of your most important tasks done?
• Volume Vs. Importance – Sometimes it is not about quantity, but rather quality. Most people overestimate their todo list. They think they need to get hundreds of todos done, when they would actually be better served by completing a select few of their most important tasks. What do you really need to get done today?
• Multi-tasking = Multiple Distractions – Multi-tasking can be a blessing and a curse. With small low priority tasks it can allow you do get multiple things done at once. However, it often leads to distraction, reducing productivity and your quality of work. Stick to one high priority task at a time.

Finish It

When you get that important task close to completion… don’t stop.

Not until you are done. Resist putting it down.

Don’t leave things at 99%. Go for closure.

There is a big difference between almost done and actually done.

What are you stopping short of finishing?