I’m a musician and engineer. I was educated on waves as part of my degree. I’m also a productivity nerd with a healthy interest in goals. So when I came across this article in my archives, I decided it needed some more exposure. It presents goals as waves.

In a 2006 article, Graham English uses the wave as a metaphor for goals. It was a rather technical article, I will warn you. Here is a summary with my comments:

“Frequency is how often you express your intentions.” How often you express your intentions is how often you are thinking about something. If you think about something once in a lifetime, it is far less likely to happen (except by chance) than something you focus on daily.

“Wavelength is measured in terms of distance.” I had a hard time with this one, but distance to me is the path I am taking. I can take a very long path, or a more direct one.

“Amplitude refers to the intensity of your intentions.” I am a firm believer that if you don’t want something very much, it is less likely to happen.

“Attack: How quickly the sound reaches full volume after the sound is activated. Attack can signify your initial excitement and motivation. With what speed and force do you attack your goals?” This says it all.

“Decay: How quickly the sound reduces in volume after the initial peak. Most people lose their initial motivation rather quickly.” Many people I know start out strong, then lose interest. Heck, I do that on some projects, too! This doesn’t seem to be the best way to pursue a goal.

“Release: How quickly the sound fades after the end of the note.” In music, you have to know when to release it, i.e. when it is done. You also have to be careful not to hold a note too long…it is important to let things go at the right time.

I find this metaphor amazingly apt, although it took me a few readings to really grasp what he was saying. It all ties into visualization. I have read too much anecdotal evidence about how people rehearse things in their minds, or concentrate on something, and then it comes about.

Goals as waves. Another way to look at goals.

Kind of as a crazy parting shot…if everything is made of energy, and our thoughts are made of electrical impulses (energy), who is to say that our thoughts have no effect on anything outside of our heads?

Have you ever worked on something and something comes up that results in added work? Your project is getting bigger. It’s a condition in IT we call “scope creep”. We’ll talk about what it is and what to do about it today.

Scope creep isn’t just at work, either. I recently had an experience with it at home. I was sick of the color and border in my bathroom and decided to repaint. So I spent a long weekend stripping border, repainting trim, and then putting the new color on the walls. My husband and I had talked about replacing the carpet with laminate in our bedroom later this year, and then running the same flooring in the bathroom. The paint wasn’t even dry on the walls when the project exploded in scope. “Let’s tile the shower….but if we’re going to do that we need to do it before the floor…and we should really do that now so that we don’t have issues with the new border when it goes up…and if we’re redoing the shower we should buy new fixtures, and then upgrade the sink to match, and then the lights and the outlets…” Instead of just paint and border, I am now undergoing a bathroom renovation. Don’t take this as complaining, though…it will be fabulous when it is done. It’s just a matter of the project suddenly blossoming out.

What is Scope Creep?

The scope of a project is the agreed-upon statement of work that will be performed. In IT, it means defining what the change is, and what it will do. As a consultant, I am used to managing scope with my clients. Scope might be to add 10 identified reports to a system; or adding a module to process credit cards; or create a program with a specific set of features.

Scope creep is when things get added to an already agreed-upon set of work. It would be adding additional reports; sending out paper statements to credit card customers; adding features outside of the specific set. It would also in my bathroom example be the shower, the floor, the fixtures and the electrical.

More Work, Same Time, Same Cost?

The vicious part of scope creep is that often the person asking for the features believes that the additional work should fall in the same time frame and same cost as the original.

After all, the client says, if you can write 10 reports in a week, why can’t you add another one? It’s not that much work, right, because you’re producing just a little bit more, and you can double up?

The problem lies in that many people who add things on don’t realize that additional work will take additional time. And additional time means additional money.

The problem I see most often when clients add things onto a project is they don’t understand why that pushes the deliverables further out. That’s why my company, and others I have worked for before, are very particular about the statements of work as well and any changes. We either do a change order (and have the client sign off on the new time/cost) or start a phase 2 document of things to be done after the original work is completed.

Scope Creep At Work

Scope creep at work is common. Additional duties get added under that ubiquitous “other duties as assigned” part of just about every job description. People are asked to take on new projects, expand what you’re already doing, or volunteer for committees.

Within projects, too, scope creep can be rampant. You could be asked to add just a bit more information on a report, or re-do something in a document you’re editing, or prepare a related sales page.

Scope Creep At Home

Scope creep is not just for work. As my example above, it can be obvious and major, or it can be subtle. Every time you get pulled in another direction or distracted while doing a project can count as scope creep.

Cleaning the bathtub? You decide you need to wash the rugs. Cleaning out the leftovers from the fridge? You decide you need to wipe down the shelves. Taking the trash out? You decide to wash the trash can.

Why Scope Creep Will Destroy Your Productivity

It may not seem like a big deal – because the danger of scope creep is that the added tasks are usually good ideas. They’re related to the task at hand, and really don’t seem to add up to much extra effort.

The problem comes, though, when you add up all the extra tasks and the time they will take, and it can completely throw your schedule off kilter. A few added tasks and you may not hit deadlines. And that can be a big problem.

How To Spot Scope Creep

Some scope creep is obvious, because it doesn’t fit with the task at hand.

But the stuff that seems to fit is the subtler, more dangerous form of scope creep. It seems like a good idea, it fits in with what you are already doing, and doesn’t seem like that much effort.

Here’s how to spot it…watch for these phrases, said by others or yourself: “As long as…”, “Let’s add…”, “How about if…”, “While you’re doing…”, “I’d like to…”, “Seems like I should…”

But the only sure way to spot scope creep is to constantly ask yourself what you intended to be doing, and what you are actually doing. If the two are not the same, then you have probably succumbed to scope creep.

What To Do About Scope Creep

There are two ways to handle scope creep without derailing your productivity and/or missing deadlines.

1. Expand your time.

In project management, when new features are added, we do a change order and adjust the deadline. This is very formalized, but you can do this verbally.

“I can add those graphics to the report, but it’s going to take me an extra hour.” This let’s the person know you are willing, but it is going to push out the time.

“I can wash those rugs now, but that will mean I be done with my housework later, and I won’t have as much time to play with my kids.” This is an example of an internal adjustment, allowing yourself to recognize that your choice will have consequence on the rest of the day.

2. Do it later.

If you choose not to do the task now, it is important that you have some sort of way to track it to do it later. In software development, we create a next version feature list. Again, this is very formal, but you can do it verbally.

“I can’t add those graphics and still have the report to you by the end of the day. Can I add them tomorrow?” This lets the person know that the deadline would pass, but you can do the work in the future.

You can even do this for yourself. “I want to wash the rugs, but I will miss playing with my kids. I’ll put them on the list of things to do this weekend.”

(And then of course, do what you commit to…)

Conclusion

I deal with scope creep every day in the job, and you probably do as well (although you may not have recognized it.) Learning to recognize scope creep, and then dealing with it by either extending deadlines or putting the new work off, can boost your productivity. Don’t let yourself be sidelined by scope creep.

Image by NASA Goddard Photo and Video. Licensed under Creative Commons. Text added.

Closing projects isn’t just about making a decision. There are specific things you will need to do, and you might get pushback from those involved.

As a software developer, I understand how to close projects down. If I didn’t, I would still be supporting hundreds of applications at this point, instead of moving on. And sometimes the process of closing projects down leads to resistance, both internal and external. As I wrap up my current client project (I’ve been here 10 months), I am going through this process. But it’s not just about my work projects – I had to do the same process and watch for the same pitfalls when I was closing projects for my life reboot.

Steps To Closing Projects

Closing projects, even temporarily, is rarely about just making the decision. Why? There are usually other people involved. So it takes a bit more work than just deciding to let something go.

Decide.

Of course the first step in this process is to decide you are going to let it go. But along with this, you need to decide if this is just a temporary break, where you will pick it up again at the same level in the future; or if you will change your level of involvement now or in the future (or both); or if you are going to stop entirely. If you are going to change or stop in the future, you will also need to decide what the timeframe of that change is. This will allow you to plan for the shutdown or transition.

Notification.

Next up, it is only common courtesy to let people know that you are taking a break, reconsidering your involvement, changing your involvement or stopping. This can lead to conflict, though, especially when you are changing something that others have grown used to.

Close The Loops.

Walking away from a project with things undone is just a recipe to get sucked back into it. Even if the stepping away is temporary, you want to eliminate anything that could pull you back to it. The way to approach this is to make a list of everything you can think of that needs to be done, and then go through the list, delegating what you can, removing unnecessary tasks, and completing the rest.

Dealing With Resistance

Unfortunately, as you are closing projects, you might face resistance. It can be either from other people (external) to guilt or sorrow (internal). The degree of resistance depends a lot on how attached everyone is to the project. There are things you can do to make this process easier.

Transfer.

Handing over a project so it can continue is a good way to break free of something. There might be resistance, as people don’t like change, but knowing that you are leaving the project in good hands can sooth others and yourself. A transition plan can be as formal as you like, but make sure that there are definite dates so you know when you can be free. (As a software consultant, I am very wary of any plan that doesn’t have an end date…they just go on forever…)

Say goodbye/grieve.

Sometimes leaving a project – particularly one you have been heavily invested in – can take an emotional toll. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge the transition and do what you must. It doesn’t have to be formal, either. When I decided to divest myself of a particularly intense piece of needlework that I had already invested hours in, I wrapped it carefully in a plastic bag before placing it in the trash. Wrapping it allowed me to recognize that this had been important to me; placing it in the trash allowed me to release it.

Cut the strings however you have to.

Sometimes there are projects that you cannot divest yourself of. You may have transitioned it, wrapped it up, or distanced yourself, and like quicksand it keeps drawing you back in. If this is the case, and you feel you have done everything you possibly can, cut the ties and move on. People will get over it.

Conclusion

Any time you deal with closing down a project and people (even yourself) you can experience resistance and things that will suck you back into the project. Be cognizant of this, and it will go much smoother.

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Image by Newtown grafitti. Licensed under Creative Commons. Text added.

Sometimes the best thing you can do to get a computer back on track is to reboot it. The same concept to get back on track can apply to life.

A few weeks ago I was feeling overwhelmed. It wasn’t a new thing, but rather something that had been going on for months. I felt like I was juggling everything, things were dropping, and I didn’t have time to deal with a crisis that came up. I was getting exhausted and resentful.

I had to get back on track. I knew it was time for me to reboot my life.

Rebooting A Computer

When you reboot a computer, there is a very specific set of actions that happen.

• Close programs. When a computer is rebooted, the first thing it does is goes in and shuts down all the programs that are currently running. This includes not only the things that you have consciously started, but also all of the involuntary programs like the print queue and device drivers.
• Power down. The next step is that the computer powers off and waits a bit.
• Restart computer. The computer now powers back up, running diagnostics and starting the base programs, called the operating system, as well as hooking in your hardware like mouse and keyboard.
• Restart automatic programs Next the computer fires up the programs that are invisible to you, but allow you to work, like the print queue (allows you to print) and any other networked devices. Some of these you can’t stop from re-starting, but others are put into this category by the programs (like programs that automatically update).
• Restart voluntary programs. Next comes the programs for the things you want to work on.

Get Back On Track By Rebooting My Life

Rebooting a life can take a very similar turn. In fact, it corresponds, one-on-one, to the way a computer reboots.

Closing Things Down

The first phase of the program was to figure out what was running in my life and start shutting them down for a temporary time. I did this by looking at my calendar and task list, and figuring out what had demands on my time. Then I prepared everyone and everything for a bit of downtime. I treated this like a vacation, so I let people know I wouldn’t be available to respond to anything for two weeks. Then I took care of things that needed to be tied up before I would be back online, and took a break.

Quiet Time

This next part was the most conscious part of the process. Freed from most of my usual commitments, I was able to use my non-work/non-family time to journal about the areas of my life. This took the form of listing all the areas of my life, and then looking at what was working, and what was contributing to the sense of overwhelm.

I then looked at what I wanted in each area. For instance, for my family, I want more family time doing things together; for Girl Scouts, I want to be free of the necessity of planning meetings.

I examined what I could drop if I could, and then considered ways to lessen those areas of my life in order to make room for more of what I want to do.

Considering What To Start Up

Next, I wrote out 1-2 sentences of what I wanted from each area of my life; this is to serve as a measure against which I can look at any project or commitment that comes up.

For instance, the blog item says “Provide value to my readers; get a positive ROI on time”. This particular item allows me to judge the editorial calendar to provide content that is valuable. It also allows me to judge activities that are going to provide the most return on my time investment. This has led me to redo the structure of the articles, when they come out, and what they are concerned with.

The entry for musician says, “Planned performances for vocal, small group and flute; keeping time free.” This allows me to remember that I don’t have time to do last-minute fill-ins (which has been a problem this year).

In each of the areas of my life, I looked at all the things that were ongoing, and held them up against these summaries. I then removed items that didn’t fit, freeing up time for other things.

Preventing Buildup

One of the problems I have is that there are many things I would like to do, and I stuff them into a Someday/Maybe list. I review this list every 12 weeks and move things into the current phase of my life. The problem comes in with the size of this list. There is just not enough time to do everything, and some things are really just passing fancy.

In order to prevent buildup from happening, I went through my Someday/Maybe list in Evernote and pruned ruthlessly. Some items I was unable to let go of, and so they moved from Someday into Maybe. Others were jettisoned. I achieved about a 50% reduction of items in that area.

Conclusion

I am about a week into the rebooted life, and I find that I have much more time to do things I consider valuable. I’m not as frantic, and things aren’t falling through the cracks. Yes, there are people unhappy with my decisions. But I am happy with them, and in the end, that is what matters.

If you are interested in an ebook on how to reboot your life, please indicate it on the poll below! If there is enough interest, I will write one detailing the process.

[yop_poll id=”1″]

Image by skuds. Licensed under Creative Commons. Text added.

What would you think if I told you that choosing and seeing a single word to represent what you hope to accomplish would make an incredible difference in your progress toward your goals? Theme words will.

A few years ago, I took a seminar in “theming” life. It involved thinking about what you wanted to accomplish over the next month, quarter or year, and then picking a theme to go with it. All of the actions that you took should support that theme. It was a nice concept, and I started making theme words of the year. What I didn’t expect is how well those words would serve as a reminder of what I was trying to do, and how easy it was to do them.

Why Choose A Word?

Choosing an overarching word allows me to have a long term goal without a specific goal. If my word is “grow” I know that I want to do things that grow myself and my abilities. The word is more general than a specific goal, but still provides a direction for you to follow.

How Long Do You Use It?

There are various thoughts out there. I generally have a word for the year…but for the last few years it has been “complete” and I still feel I have an issue with completing items. And while it is important for me to have that reminder to complete things before starting something new, it is also not a growth goal for me.

I have also had words for the month, when I have had a particular drive (November, or National Novel Writing Month, generally has the word “write” associated with it).

Right now, as I experiment with 12-week year goals [Insert Link], I find that my words correspond with my projection over the next 12 weeks. This session includes the words “deliberate” and “measure” because I am being very deliberate in what I am working on, as well as measuring my progress toward those goals.

Ways To Remember Your Word

The magic of the theme word is that the word comes to embody what you are aiming for, and serves as a reminder of what you are trying to accomplish. There are several ways that you can use the word to remember and refocus.

Paint it.

I just want to state outright that I am not an artist. I literally cannot draw a straight line with a ruler. But I have fairly decent handwriting (a legacy from a misspent childhood), so I borrow my husband’s paints and write with a big brush on canvas. These paintings will never be seen outside my home, but the current word hangs aboe my desk.

Planner.

I find that using a paper planner and putting my muscles to work gets me more done than just checking things off an electronic list. So in the front of my planner I have a copy of the word. This one was created using Paint, and uses a couple of background “papers” and a fancy font. Anyone can do this sort of word.

Wallpaper.

Words can be used as wallpapers on the computer. That means every time you close a program you will see your word. When you login, you will see your word. And when you shut down for the day, you will see your word.

Mouse pad.

I have customized mouse pads at all my computers. These mouse pads [Insert Link] are meant to put photos in, but I use them to put my word in. That way I have a reminder every time I reach for my mouse. Even out of the corner of my eye, I see my word.

Password.

A friend of mine put me on to this one. She uses her word of the moment as the first part of her password. So every time she gets into her computer, she is typing out that word and reinforcing it to herself.

Over to you

Do any of you use words to theme a time period? What have your words been? How do you remind yourself? Share below, or email me at laura@lauraearnest.com

It’s a simple word: project. Yet it’s a loaded one. Projects are defined as anything that has more than one step to massive undertakings that need multiple people and charts that span multiple sheets of paper.

Most of us are not on that last part of the scale. And honestly, treating a simple project to the full blast of project management is overkill. Believe me, I’ve tried it. I wanted to put my project management training to the test. And what I found is that personal projects are always much simpler and require less “management” than one might think.

What Is A Project?

So let’s start by considering what is…and what isn’t…a project.

I first started thinking about projects when I read Getting Things Done*. To David Allen, a project is anything that has more than one action. But I wasn’t satisfied with that definition. My engineer brain kept saying “but what if…?”

So let’s look at some alternatives.

A project is a grouping of related items that lead to a common conclusion. If something were made of one task, it is still just a task, no matter how you dress it up. If you put two tasks together but they were unrelated (file your TPS report and walk the dog), they are still two tasks. But if the tasks work together to complete a single conclusion, they are a project. For example, “wash the dishes” and “take out the trash” could be tasks that relate to the project of “clean the kitchen.”

Projects incorporate the smaller blocks of productivity. Projects are made up of multiple tasks. But they can also include calendar events and notes. If your project was to “buy a 2017 motor scooter” it would include an appointment at the bank, an appointment at the dealer, plus tasks like “call the bank for interest rates” and “fill out the warranty paperwork”. It might even include notes and documents, like the research you did on which scooter to buy, as well as features you want to have.

Projects have distinct steps not performed quickly in sequence.

We’ll talk more about this below, but if you perform a set of actions that could be broken down into discrete steps one right after the other with no breaks, this really isn’t a project. For instance, go grocery shopping, bring groceries in the house, put the groceries away are three distinct actions that lead to “replenish groceries”, however, you wouldn’t perform the steps with breaks of time in between. Doing so would lead to spoiled food and a smelly car.

Why Do We Care About Projects?

You might be wondering why we care about projects at all. Why wouldn’t we just track the steps and leave it at that?

The reason is that projects have a bigger “done” than their counterpart. For instance with our scooter, both contacting the bank and doing research are necessary steps, both leading to “buy a 2017 motor scooter”. Leaving one out can result in the whole project failing. It isn’t enough just to do research, because that will just leave you with notes. It isn’t enough to contact the bank if you never go to the dealership and actually purchase the vehicle.

Along with the bigger completion, projects have to be tracked as a group so that you know you are making progress toward that larger goal. Failure to do so will leave out crucial steps.

How Do You Tell If It’s A Project

This is a big question, and it is always a good one if you want to stir people up on a productivity site. Leave a comment to the effect of “any action can be broken down into further sub-actions.” Then sit back. (Yes I have done this, accidentally. I still have the scorch marks.)

The fact is that what a project is depends on the things you will do to complete it…and where they will be done

Let’s change a light bulb.

But first a joke: How many programmers does it take to change a light bulb? None. They declare darkness the industry standard.

So even though I am a programmer, let’s change a light bulb.

What are the steps of changing a light bulb?
1. Get the replacement light bulb.
2. Get the ladder.
3. Unscrew the old light bulb.
4. Screw in the new light bulb.
5. Put the ladder away.
6. Dispose of the old light bulb.

In David Allen’s definition, this would be a project, because it has more than one distinct action.

However, no one would track a project like this. Or would they?

The question lies in whether or not that replacement light bulb is already in your house.

If the light bulb is already in your house (because you have stocked up), you simply fetch it and perform the rest of the actions in one swoop. It would not be a project.

However, if you had to purchase the light bulb, the whole thing turns into a project with two steps: buy the light bulb, and install the light bulb. In this second case, you would probably track it, because you need to be reminded to buy the light bulb, and then once you are home, to put it in place.

Whether or not something is a project depends on how many of the sub-actions will be performed at the same time in the same place. Multiple actions at different times and/or different places will automatically be a project.

How Do You Track Projects?

So we’ve talked about inputs and outputs. Where do projects fall into these?

A project is an input that the box adds the tasks, events and notes to, so that you can work through it as an output.

How can you track projects? That’s completely up to you. Some people use a project management system. Some use a less complex system like Trello. Some use notebook pages. I personally use tasks with sub-tasks in Remember the Milk.

Food For Thought

My task for you today is to consider how you handle projects. Do you just look at the top level and rethink what needs to be done every time you look at it? Or do you parse it out into tasks? Do you go too far with the parsing? How do you track your projects?

I think that’s enough questions to consider.