Handling a huge To-Do list
“Makarand, This is getting too much work! This is just a first step, and there is a huge pile of tasks yet to be done.”Sangram seemed pretty unhappy with his own expectations about the work.
Getting the first deliverable out is always a daunting task. The creativity is at its peak, and so many ideas to work on, yet so little time to do them. His frustration was visible on his face.
“I hear you, Sangram. No need to get overwhelmed, here is a simple trick to handle it!”
“Conduct your work reviews based on completion of a milestone, and not based on time. This works better if you have tiny milestones, which generate a tangible outcome. This way you know you have achieved something. For a small team, time-based reviews are a recipe for frustration. There is no guarantee that your tasks will always be complete at the end of the day. This leads to the feeling of falling behind, and often pushes us towards overworking.”
“Instead, create a sense of progression. Reward yourself and your team at each small step. The reward could be as small as a cup of coffee or an ice cream. The coffee that you get as a reward, smells different.”
What’s your trick to handle your large to-do list?
