Do The Small Things Now

Have you ever planned a trip and immediately you set out for the trip, you forget the smallest thing you wanted to pack for your trip? That item was so small that you kept procrastinating getting to it and in the end, you were never able to get to it. And that was the end of it. It might not be a trip for some of us, but maybe preparing for a presentation or some other things, we usually want to get the most important things done first before getting to the smaller items.

But I have realized that one of the ways to beat procrastination is to ensure that even when we feel like not doing anything about what we plan, doing even the smallest things can really make a lot of difference. I wanted to start work on a thesis, and it made sense to simply get started with the work, but I felt like not doing the project right away. The only simple thing I was able to do was to create a document structure for the thesis. Have each and every page formatted in the way the thesis required it. When I wanted to submit my first chapter, I realized I was almost late, but because I already completed the document structure, I was able to submit on time.

So no matter what it is you are planning to achieve or work on, trying some very simple parts of the task now can go a long way towards making the entire goal a success. Understand that every big task can be broken down into smaller tasks. No matter how big they are. We usually tend to procrastinate when we focus on the very big tasks, but when we do even the smallest part of our tasks, we are pushing the bar from where we are to where we want to be, and that is what is most important. Progress is what we need to make every day no matter how small.

So imagine you plan to travel say next month, you can simply have a task right now to list out all the items you plan to travel with. And that would ensure that everything you plan to travel with is noted before you travel. You do not even have to start getting the items now, but at least having the list would be an important part of the journey.

No matter what you have been planning, you have an opportunity right now to do something so small that can push the entire progress forward. Remember, the most important thing is that progress is being made everyday. Keep going, and try to do even the smallest of tasks right now. Know that all big tasks can be broken down into really small tasks. Tasks that can be completed right away. Thanks and God bless.