Start Strong and Stay Strong on a Long-Term Project

 Tue 25 May 2021

Start Strong and Stay Strong on a Long-Term Project

When faced with a new project, it’s easy to jump in with both feet. But having staying power to see the effort through can be more difficult. To make sure you not only start strong, but stay strong on a long-term project, set upper and lower bounds for how much time you’ll dedicate to it.

 What's the most amount of time you'll allow yourself to invest in a given task each day? What's the least amount of time?

 For example, if your goal is to write a book, you might decide to write no less than 30 minutes and no more than three hours per day. Or if you're trying to get in better physical shape, you may decide to work out no less than three times and no more than five times per week.

 Staying within those boundaries will help you defend against your own bad tendencies — whether that's procrastinating for days on end, only to cram in a lot of time at the finish line or overextending yourself early on to the point of burning out and abandoning the project altogether.
 Identify your habits and hold yourself accountable to your bounds. Doing so will set yourself up to sustain your energy over the long haul.
This tip is adapted from “4 Ways to Manage Your Energy More Effectively,” by Elizabeth Grace Saunders