Do you ever get stuck on a project?
No forward motion is happening, no matter what effort you put into it.
Maybe you are out of ideas. Or out of energy.
The one thing you know is that you are stuck.
When you get to this point, you should consider starting over… from the beginning.
Doing It Better the Second Time (Or Third)
Nothing is perfect the first time.
When you are stuck on a project or task, the last thing you probably want to think about is starting over. Yet, that might be just the tactic you need to make progress.
A fresh start can give you a new look at the work to be accomplished. It can allow new ideas to flow, and provide new energy and momentum.
“When you are stuck, sometimes the best thing you can do is start over.”
Other times you are forced to start over.
Either your current work is unsatisfactory, or perhaps you have lost part of your deliverable.
Neither of these situations is fun. However, if this has happened to you, then you probably know that re-doing the work was easier the second time.
Often, a re-start produces a better end state and results.
Here are 7 Reasons You Should Start Your Stuck Project Over:
- Hone Your Vision – The 2nd version of anything is usually better than the first. A second start lets you adjust your vision and deliver better results than your first draft.
- A Break Can Do You Good – If you are stuck, a break and then restart can provide renewed energy. As well, your brain will generate new ideas even while you are on break. (In fact, some of the best ideas come when not working on a project.)
- Get Back on the Right Path – When you are in the middle of “doing,” it can be easy to continue down the wrong path… just because you are already headed that way. A re-start allows you to course correct your project. This can even allow you to adjust for conditions that have changed since you originally began the work.
- Let New Ideas Flow – New ideas come when you are idle, not while you are working. When you come back to your project, you will have thought of additional approaches and new concepts.
- Gets You Unstuck – When you can’t go any further, the last thing you want to do is go back to the start. But, maybe you have reached a dead-end or can’t figure out where to go next. A reset can get you going again in a new direction.
- Practice – Practice makes you better. You will be better on your next attempt, and the one after that. Iterative starts can “whittle” a project into shape quickly.
- New Perspective – Sometimes a restart needs to be a hard reset, meaning a start from scratch. This allows you to take a different approach entirely to the problem at hand. A new perspective can be what you need to figure out the solution you need.
Time for a Restart
When you are stuck or in need of improving your work, a restart can be the answer to improving your results.
One caution here, is that you do have to ship. Endless rework doesn’t accomplish anything. You have to finish the work.
If you need a jump-start today, consider starting over from the beginning.
Question: What do you need to start over on today? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
We small business owners waste time and are prone to rationalize, apply our skills to every dimension of business. Craig, would you suggest a tool to play a role here?
This method eventually involves vigorous scrubbing with a gritty paste, which may damage softer materials like wallboard or finished wood. Use this option only for harder materials like tile or masonry.
You can use less baking soda for a smaller job, or more for a bigger one. Once mixed, this amount should be enough to cover around 1 sq ft (930 cm2). The important thing is to mix the baking soda and vinegar in a 2:1 ratio (that is, twice as much baking soda as vinegar).