Project Burnout

[Geoff_S]

I am just having to take a break from my current project and here I am typing for a bit of light relief.

It started off as a kitchen project that I have wanted to do for over 20 years, resolving 20 years of ongoing compromises in the kitchen area.

It started with grand excitement in November 2016. All the building works finished in April 2017. Here I am in January 2018 fed up to the back teeth with it.

But when it's finished, I know I am going to be so pleased with it.

It's at that stage where the last 10% of the project is taking 90% of the effort.

Nothing has gone wrong, it's just that everything seems to take forever!

I know it's going to end, it is going to end, please God, let it come to an end! ](*,)

 

[stuartpaul]

Been there, done that, got the tee shirt!

I know what you mean about 90% of the effort. Things seem to take forever, - even worse if your anything of a perfectionist and worse still if you're a perfectionist without the necessary skills!

Keep at it you know it'll look good in the end!

 

[Halo Jones]

I know how you feel. We have been at house renovations for the past two years now and probably only half way done. Doesn't help that project creep has also kicked in. I think I am going to be busy for the next 3 years! Lucky I mostly enjoy it and do get the odd weekend off! But I do have my down days.

 

[Geoff_S]

Shame on me, I am actually retired and so should be getting these things done a lot, lot quicker compared to when I was working full time.

But I have a theory (some may say an excuse). When I was working, I would get to Friday evening and think "I must get those shelves or whatever done this weekend before I go back to work on Monday".

Now I think, "I don't go to work anymore, I've got plenty of time". I think that is a big mistake! Chronic mañana can be a symptom of retirement!

 

[will1983]

I write a list at the start of each week with all the jobs broken down into individual small tasks. That way I never have that 'hmm that jobs done, now what?' thought, which for me is very inefficient.

I start by blocking out time for regular arrangements and household chores then allocate tasks to each evening/weekend day. This weeks is as follows.

MONDAY
Tidy up workshop - DONE
Sharpen planes - DONE
Undercoat trim - DONE on Tuesday

TUESDAY
Plane doors to fit - DONE
Oil planed edges (x1) - DONE
Hoovering Upstairs - DONE (this needed doing anyway so might as well do it after planing the doors in the bedroom when I would have to do it again)

WEDNESDAY (Study Wall)
Remove all flaky paint - DONE on Tuesday
Sand filler
Fill remaining cracks and low spots
Oil planed edges (x2)
Empty and put out bins
Sand filler again
Size wall

THURSDAY
Dancing
Oil planed edges (x3)
Hoovering downstairs

FRIDAY
Oil planed edges (x4)
Paint bathroom ceiling (matt white emulsion)
Paint study wall (matt white emulsion)
Paint inside alcove wardrobe (matt white emulsion)

The act of ticking off things done is a great motivator, that's why I break each job down into such small tasks. Small tasks also allow me to do more or less dependant on my mood that evening. If I'm not in the mood one evening I try to prioritise those tasks like painting that require multiple coats, that way it stops them from dragging on forever.

I find this makes me more efficient, things that require long drying times are always last on the list for the evening so the painted bits don't get in my way or get dust stuck to them. I try to amalgamate tasks that require the same materials into the same sessions, i.e matt white emulsion on Friday - paint everything that needs it in one go so I only have to wash out one brush. To do this though I make sure that all the preceding tasks are done to allow all these to be done i.e. sharpening the planes on Monday before planing my doors on Tuesday.

I always ensure that I block out some downtime to avoid getting burnt out though and I'm realistic in my expectations when planning. This helps maintain a sense of achievement.

Try it, it works for me, could be a bit over organised for some people though. If it interests then there's lots of good stuff on the internet about Lean Management and Planning, 5S is a good place to start.

P.S I am a Civil Engineer by trade and a Civil Engineering Planner by title so I guess this over organisation is engrained!

 

[Hemsby]

Shame on me, I am actually retired and so should be getting these things done a lot, lot quicker compared to when I was working full time.

But I have a theory (some may say an excuse). When I was working, I would get to Friday evening and think "I must get those shelves or whatever done this weekend before I go back to work on Monday".

Now I think, "I don't go to work anymore, I've got plenty of time". I think that is a big mistake! Chronic mañana can be a symptom of retirement!

+1
Thought it was just me

 

[lurker]

I am just as bad.
Current excuse is the cold workshop.

I try to push myself onwards with a list like will does.

 

[Geoff_S]

I am just as bad.
Current excuse is the cold workshop.

I try to push myself onwards with a list like will does.

I've got a fan heater for the workshop.

I switch it on ... then go and have a cup of coffee while it warms up .......

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Now I think, "I don't go to work anymore, I've got plenty of time". I think that is a big mistake! Chronic mañana can be a symptom of retirement!

We do things dreckly - it's like manana, but not so urgent.

 

[treeturner123]

Yes

A list is great, but I seem to find that number 2 on the list involves getting some item so I have to break off to get it and this then leads to 'Mission Creep' so item 2 gets delayed!!!!

I was going to go down to the workshop this afternoon but lunch got delayed and so......

Phil

 

[Matt@]

I do exactly what Will does and extend it further. Breaking down a job into small segments you can then allocate minutes per segment based on how long you expect each bit to take. Try and allocate a generous amount of time to each thing so you get motivated by beating that time. This method especially useful if you are up against a deadline and start fretting that " omg I'm running out of time, I wont be able to finish it (whatever "it" is) . So write a long list of every part of the job complete with anticipated times (the amount of minutes) then add up the times and divide by 60 to get hours, then you know how long its actually going to take and you know whether to start stressing or not!

 

[Geoff_S]

The list thing is a valid proposal.

The thing is that I spent 35 years in business software development. That was 35 years of lists and project deadlines. So I have something of an aversion to lists. It is actually quite nice to sometimes
not achieve an objective in the time allotted, and to then realise that you have not destroyed someone's entire life (in their opinion).

But having said that I did actually do a list, and the first item on it was "1. Build New Kitchen". (hammer)

I also have other things on the list that are the things I notice, then forget, but if I put them on the list then at least they are there for when I next look at the list.

 

[HappyHacker]

I am with Geoff on lists having spent 40 years managing projects with them. I do have a list but the management prioritises different items on the list and off it on an hourly basis so not much ever gets done.

 

[Tom K]

I have a list, its in my head. Wife has a different list in her head. I should follow her list for an easy life but it changes without notice.

 

[gwaithcoed]

My wife makes my list

Alan

 

[Jamster21]

I have a list, its in my head. Wife has a different list in her head. I should follow her list for an easy life but it changes without notice.

If you happen to know of a way of reading said list, could you share? It would make my (and others) lives a lot simpler...

 

[Andrewf]

I work away from home for 3 months then have 3 months holiday. Loads of time you would think to get the wife's job list completed. How wrong could you be. Said list grows bigger in relationship to the length of holiday remaing. With the jobs also increasing in size. I have in the past been concreting in fence posts in the dark the night before I have an early morning flight to some other part of the world.

 

[RogerS]

I spent so long making my lists that I ran out of time to do any of them.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I have a list, its in my head. Wife has a different list in her head. I should follow her list for an easy life but it changes without notice.

If you happen to know of a way of reading said list, could you share? It would make my (and others) lives a lot simpler...

Don't attempt to read their minds - mine went out last week and bought me sevilles and lemons to make marmalade ................... two weeks after she threw out every single jam jar I'd kept. Of course, I didn't find out until after I'd made it.