Do you have tasks you get stuck on, tasks which seem to resist themselves? Try as you might you do not manage to finish them; maybe not even move forward. Perhaps you do not manage to progress with some projects. Let us see the possible causes and what you can do about them.
1. You do not write down the tasks
Maybe you work on tasks and solve issues as they arise and you come up with them. That is why you might forget some task until your workday ends. You think that you will tackle it the next day. However, you come up with other things to do, other issues arise and in the end history repeats itself.
How to solve it
It is essential that you use a task list, or even better a task-list system. Writing down the tasks helps us clear our mind of the different issues. As well, it allows us to assess task by task with regards to their importance and urgency. That way you can decide with judgment which is the task to tackle at a certain moment. You will be able to proactively plan your day in order to make sure you progress on what is important.
2. You do not manage to tackle a task or project
You have been trying for days to get down to work with an issue but more urgent or apparently more important things continue showing up. So, it seems you will not ever make progress.
How to progress
Consider why you tend to postpone the task or project in favour of other issues. Maybe the matter is not as urgent as what comes up. Why is that? Is the deadline not close yet or do you not even have one? Is the task still of importance or not anymore?
Assuming that the task is still valid, I suggest you reserve a slot or several slots in your agenda to work on it. We tend to push tasks with a far deadline or without deadline forward, even though they might be more important than others, until we are pressed for time. If you want to avoid this, plan your work and block time slots for the important tasks which are not urgent.
3. You lack clarity
Maybe you have a hard time progressing with a task or project because you do not really know the objective and desired outcome. Possibly you lack information to move forward. When this happens we can succumb to procrastination. We push the task or project forward over and over again giving priority to other issues we know how to resolve.
How to gain clarity
Unblocking ourselves requires to clarify what we intend to achieve with that task or project. What does finishing it mean? How will it contribute to the company operations and the company’s and your own goals?
If it is a project, do you know the next steps? Take time to break them down in your project plan. Then resort to that plan in order to monitor the progress and the next tasks to tackle.
Also consider which resources or information you need to make progress. Do you need to research or learn something? Then do it or add it as a new task to your list. Do you have to request it to somebody? Then do so.
4. It is not a task
Perhaps a task has been on your list for days or even weeks. Although you have worked on it you have the feeling of not making progress.
What to do about it
Consider whether this “task” you wrote down is actually a concept comprising several actions. Then it really is a project. You were making progress but you did not realise due to considering it a task. If you treat it as a project with its steps and milestones you will have a feeling of achievement. So put that “task” on a project sheet and consider the different steps you need to take in order to tackle it and the information to request from others. That way you can follow up on your progress.
5. The task depends on other people
To which extent does your work depend on other people or is influenced by them? Any of your tasks depends on somebody else delivering information? It can be frustrating to have a task on your list day after day. If this is the case, consider if the completion actually does not depend on you at this point of time.
What to do in that case
If the completion of a task does not depend on you, it should not be on your task list. This only leads you to a growing list of things you cannot scratch off because you are not the one to execute them. You might even start to feel overwhelmed due to remembering all those issues you cannot make progress on due to lack of information from others.
Therefore, I suggest you transfer those matters to a separate list of issues you expect from others. Write down who needs to give you a reply or deliver information so you may progress with your part. It can also be a good idea to note down when you requested the information and what the deadline is. This list will help you follow up on open issues. That way you will not only clear your own task list but also your mind.
6. You suffer the CID effect
That means a series of contingencies, interruptions and distractions have made you lose the thread of what you were doing. You do not know anymore where you left off. You have lost your concentration and inspiration. As a result you are struggling with yourself whether to call it a day with that task. Tomorrow you will give it another try.
What to do against the CID
Fighting the “CID effect” requires several solutions and actions. Consider which type of distractions affect you. Can you eliminate them? Can you train your concentration in order to work better despite them? Why do you get distracted easily? Perhaps it is due to the aforementioned lack of clarity.
Regarding interruptions it can sometimes be hard to avoid them completely. However, you can learn to better deal with interruptions with the help of acceptance and assertiveness. I also recommend you always have your task list at hand in order to write down what you are asked for and assess when to tackle that request.
Where contingencies are concerned, same as in the case of interruptions, consider their importance and urgency. Is the contingency due to a lack of foresight on your side or somebody else’s? What can you do to limit unforeseen issues? From experience, most unforeseen matters are due to a lack of foresight and planning.
How to regain the concentration
If you learn to reduce the CID, they will occupy less time in your workday and mean less moments of loss of focus. Even though, always have your task list close in order to write down what comes up and remember what you were at. The less time you interrupt the task at hand, the quicker you will be able to regain concentration.
However, you might be having a mad day. After dealing with several interruptions and solving contingencies, you notice that your energy level and ability to concentrate are in tatters. Then get up from your desk and take a break. Go for a coffee or snack, chat with a colleague, go for a walk or look for a quiet place to do some breathing exercises. Afterwards, with a clear mind, tackle again that task you were struggling with.
Do you tend to get stuck on tasks?
When tasks or projects resist themselves, are the reasons those mentioned? What do you usually do to “unblock” yourself? Can you think of more reasons why you get stuck?
