How to finish projects you started?

“How hard is is going to be next time?” “How many back and forward would it takes to have my essay’s draft fully corrected?”

That what I asked myself in a cold afternoon, sitting in a cafe after a new session of average work that had produced little results.

My second draft was ” almost” ready-to go since two weeks and I ” just” needed to finish it.

What is the problem?

I always found it hard to transition from average work sessions to the flow state required to deliver projects. Imagining myself going trough this painful trajectory every time was like a mental ordeal.

I Knew it was the problem but I didn’t have the solution, until a ” Ahaa moment” happened one week later: I discovered a book titled Deep Work.

lesson 1: Crossing the finishing line is always difficult, especially for chronic procrastinators

This point is crucial . I had underestimated the last part of the job: finish.That’s why I had scheduled average work sessions. And I had hopped that showing up will be enough for everything to fall into place and close the topic. The reality was different: I wasn’t using the appropriate tool for the appropriate task. Intense focus is the tool I needed to ending projects.

Lesson 2: Make Intense focus a weekly habit to get rid of painful transitioning from average work to deep work

In the Book Deep Work, the author Cal Newport describes the capability used for most innovative people of various industries throughout the history.

He discusses systems for different contexts and presents one which seems most suitable for 9–5 jobs : the rhythmic philosophy of deep work.

While listening to his book I realized I had to personalize and integrate intense focus in my daily and weekly schedule. The art of ” entering the Zone” had to become a habit if I wanted to finish projects given my little attention. Not only would it works but it would be efficient because I won’t have to worry about state’s transitions anymore.

How can you, as as chronic procrastinator personalize Deep Work to always cross every finishing line?

Solution: Use pre-decisions

These are some rules to follow before  diving deeper into working deeper:

• Rule 1:  One topic at a time
  
  • Ideally you should aim to address a maxim of 3 to 5 questions per topic
• Rule 2: 45 min to 3 hours straight for one Deep Work session
  • Once you get started, don’t move before you feel tired or overwhelmed
• Rule 3 : No long brake before the Deep Work session is over

OK OK Now you may think How does that instantiates in a time basis ?

Step 1:  Set your mind space to avoid any internal distraction

• Say No with zero exceptions to future ideas that are not related to the current topic
• Use the art of unconscious focus to stay concentrate easily. If you suffer from Attention deficit, it might help.

Step 2: set your physical space to avoid any external distractions

• Put an earplug
• Seat where there are few people around

Step 3: Set your body and mind to restrict any long range physical and mental displacements

How to restrict physical displacements?

• Use one specific tool for one specific action
  • Eg 1 I like a Pen and paper to bring my thoughts out
  • Eg 2 I use my phone to research infos on google. It narows down my awareness.
  • Eg 3 I use my laptop disconnected from internet to build my draft.
• Bring your rewards with you before you start the Deep session. It can be water ,chocolate or whatever. It has to be near you.

How to Restrict mental displacements?

• If you feel stuck & feel overwhelmed & hesitate: take 3 to 5 minutes to address a non creative task you usually dislike ( filling paper, repetition etc) Afterwards, come back to continue.
• I you feel stuck & things looks complicated & you don’t know where to start : identify and begin with the easiest sub task within the critical task. Use what you have in you and around you now.

Final Thoughts

Once you have all these conditions set upfront, everything will fall into place. You will feel a huge sens of pride and relief to finish your projects on time. I challenge you to try it.

Deep Work is the most rare and effective way to increase productivity

HEUDOU TCHIHIKOU Aubin

A Master procrastinator who chose to execute on its dreams because of frustration and self-criticism.