Snow has just fallen in the Midwest and your project motivation meter is hitting a new low! The holidays are in full swing and you may be more worried about feeding a crowd of people than finishing up a home project. It’s all too easy to procrastinate your to-do’s until the start of the new year.
But with some helpful planning, and a fire under you, you may come out of 2019 with some finished projects and an open invitation to start planning something new!
Here are some organized ways to keep going on your current home projects:
Prioritize your To-Do’s:
Make a list of projects you are currently working on in your home. Now, circle the projects that are in your living bubble. [Which projects are you stepping over on a day to day basis? Look closely, it’s easy to ignore a project long enough and not see it right in front of you!]
Here are mine:
- Fix the broken magnet sitting by the sink.
- Add new foyer curtains.
- Clean the wood trim.
- Put the window screens in storage.
- Re-organize the kids’ books.
Schedule your To-Do’s:
Now that you’ve circled your must-do’s, think about what you need to do to accomplish them. Will it take one afternoon or 10 minutes? Once you have an estimated length of time, schedule it in your planner. You’ve just made an appointment with yourself to get that project done and out of the way.
Ensure you Have What it Takes:
Next, make sure you have all the resources you need to accomplish the project. For example, you cannot glue a magnet back together if you don’t have glue in your house. Add glue to your shopping list. This seems like a pretty easy task, but I can remember numerous times where my project was haltered because I was missing something. 🙁
With the right tools, you are ready to check each project off your to-do list.
Define What’s at Stake:
Usually projects are simple enough tasks that any homeowner can do, but they don’t always get done. Why something so simple as a magnet on my kitchen window can sit there for months and not get fixed?
The secret to completion is in your motivation. I had plenty of time and resources to fix the magnet, but it still sits broken. I have not been motivated to take care of it. There are many reasons or motivators to accomplish a project, but the best one is dependent on you. What do YOU lose by not accomplishing the task? How important is the completion of the project to YOU?
Once you’ve figured this out, you have your push to get it done (or not done).
We all get lost in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, even though we know it’s an entire month long. Plan to stay organized and you will find yourself completing those home projects you started months ago.
Stay motivated and you can accomplish anything!
Helping you plan for tomorrow,
~H