When tasked with a long-term goal or project, implementing simple habits is often the best way to break down tasks and make the overwhelming prospect of facing a lengthy project easier.
Several simple habits are great for preventing overwhelm, so if you find yourself with a long-term project to undertake, then this guide will certainly help you. These strategies will not only help build momentum but also provide a sense of control.
Break down your project into smaller tasks
Depending on how big the project is will depend on how easily you can break it down into easier and more manageable steps.
Large projects are less daunting when dissected into smaller steps or milestones, as some like to call them. Try to focus on the very next, most immediate action that you need to take. This will make it easier and will help you achieve some regular wins within the project that will motivate you and spur you on further.
It’s easier to feel overwhelmed when you’re seeing the project as a whole, rather than seeing it in smaller and more actionable chunks.
Prioritize your top tasks
When you’re faced with a meaty project of any size, it’s good to look at how you can prioritize the tasks that make up the entirety of the project.
Most would likely invest in a long and overwhelming to-do list that, simply by looking at it, would likely demotivate you. From budgeting to planning your initial timeline, it’s good to rank these tasks from most important to least important.
Instead, try to identify your top priorities for the day or week using different organization methods. For example, the Eisenhower Matrix helps to distinguish between urgent and important tasks. When prioritizing tasks, consider one to three tasks that you can do over the day so that it makes it more manageable.
By prioritizing tasks and being realistic about the tasks you can do throughout the day or week, this will help direct your energy towards the most high-impact tasks that help to move towards your main goals with efficiency.
Keep your mind on one task at a time
Keeping your mind on one task at a time is certainly important when it comes to staying motivated. Multitasking is somewhat of a myth because trying to put an equal amount of energy into multiple tasks isn’t easy.
Trying to multitask, especially when there are a number of complex tasks to contend with, can cause mental fatigue and overwhelm.
Dedicate focused periods like the Pomodoro technique of 25 minutes of work, which is followed by a short break. Doing this on a singular task will hopefully help you get the work done quicker and with more efficiency. You’ll likely lose less motivation when you’re having intermittent breaks to rest your mind.
Set clear boundaries and routines
Boundaries are certainly helpful to have when it comes to long-term projects that will likely be taking up a lot of space in your mind and time in your life, too. It can very easily be the case that the work is taking over your life and you’re sacrificing more than you should be of your personal life.
Establishing consistent daily routines, especially around work and personal life, is important. That’s why you’ll want to define specific work hours and commit to a wind-down routine so that at the end of the day, you’re not thinking about the work from the day or about what you’ve got to do for the rest of the week. These are also useful signals that your brain needs.
Integrate regular self-care
Self-care is an important part of life in general. Long-term projects often require sustained amounts of energy, and that’s something you’re not always going to have available. With that being said, it’s good to prioritize healthy habits such as physical activity that you do regularly and eating a balanced diet.
Getting a sufficient amount of rest is also important in order to prevent burnout. Scheduling short breaks can help you remain focused and find the motivation even when you feel like you’re getting nowhere.
During these short breaks, you could take a walk, have a stretch, or practice a bit of deep breathing when things get extra stressful.
Practice mindfulness and reflection
Take moments to check in with your mental state. Use techniques like mindfulness meditation or journaling to process your thoughts and emotions, helping to interrupt negative thought patterns and regain perspective.
Seek support
When it comes to preventing that overwhelming feeling from occurring, you should look at who you have around you who can help. Don’t hesitate to ask for help from friends, family, or work colleagues when you’re feeling particularly stressed out.
Speaking to those you trust and who often help calm you down is helpful when undertaking such big projects in general. Look at how you can discuss these challenges with others because oftentimes, it can provide you with valuable perspectives and support that really help to make progress.
If you can’t find that support anywhere in your personal life or professional life, then there’s always support you can get through the use of counsellors and therapists.
Visualize the result and celebrate your milestones
Visualizing the results at the end of the project can be a real motivator when it comes to maintaining momentum. Celebrating small achievements along the way can be a real help when you’re getting stuck at those points that are taking a bit more time than you’d hoped.
Celebrating your achievements is important because it really helps to keep you driven, especially on projects that are tiring in length. It also helps to provide that positive reinforcement that everything you’re doing is contributing to the end goal, despite how far down the line it looks right now.
These simple habits often help to prevent overwhelm, especially when it comes to facing long-term goals or projects of any kind. Use this guide as a helping hand for any upcoming project or goal you’ve been tasked with.
