In a recent blog post, To Finish or Not to Finish,writing coach Ann Janzer describes the reality of a writer: “False starts, half-written pieces, and scattered notebooks are the messy and necessary detritus of a creative life.”
She goes on to point out that “Wisdom lies in knowing which of those projects to carry through to completion.”
Embrace the Creative Chaos
Projects in various stages of completion are a normal part of the creative process.
Ann Janzer is discussing writing projects here, but the same is true for all kinds of projects. These could include home improvement projects, personal projects, work projects, etc.
My blog projects are always in various stages of development. Some are just ideas that I’ve had in a list for over six months. Some are in the stage of writing a mind map, and others are actually in the stage of editing.
Why Unfinished Projects Weigh You Down
It takes a lot of mental energy to keep all of these different projects in mind. They seem to be nagging at the back of your mind. You need to periodically review them to see where they are and what the next step is.
Looking at a bunch of unfinished projects can evoke negative emotions and thoughts, and they can clog a task manager.
Four Options for Moving Forward
So, how do you decide what to do with them?
1. Finish now. Set a completion goal. Define the first step. List it in a task manager or create a time block on a specific date you plan to work on it. Then, keep going until you finish the project.
2. Schedule for Later. You decide to do it, but not right now. My project list has a category titled ‘on hold.’ These are projects that I know I want to complete, but I’m not quite ready to start working on them yet.
To ensure these don’t slip through the cracks, you need a system for periodically reviewing those you’ve set aside for the future. One way to do this is with a task manager, where you set a recurring task to review your on-hold projects.
3. Save for Future Ideas. Save your ideas as fodder for future projects. You might want to put it in an archive section of your database or create a new ‘Inspiration’ file folder.
4. Kill it. If you decide you’re not going to complete it, then the best thing to do is give it a quick and honorable death.
How do you know when it’s time to kill a project?
• You keep revisiting it, but you also keep putting it off.
• You feel no real motivation to complete it. You can’t make yourself work on it. If it’s been haunting your to-do list for months, and your motivation is still zero, let it go with no regrets.
• You don’t see any value in it anymore. It might have sounded like a great idea once in the past, but it doesn’t now.
• You don’t need to do it anymore. There may have been a need in the past, but the circumstances have changed.
Clean Out Your Project Junk Drawer
In the end, unfinished projects are just part of the creative process. They’re proof you’ve got ideas brewing, plans in motion, and curiosity guiding you.
The key is to look at each project and decide: Finish now, schedule for later, stash it for inspiration, or let it go (kill it). Pick one unfinished project on your list right now. Decide which category it belongs in, then take five minutes to move it forward or let it go.
Once you make these decisions, you’ll free up mental space for the projects that truly matter. Think of it like cleaning out your mental junk drawer—your future self will thank you.
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