Project development is an ongoing responsibility of any entrepreneur.
From client proposals to personal passion projects, there always seems to be a never-ending stream of project ideas and plans.
And not every project is seen through to completion.
Those unfinished project ideas, diagrams, brainstorms, and the like may not seem like much on the surface.
After all, they’re just unfinished pieces of work, right? And yet these partial projects take up precious space.
While you may not be thinking about these projects consciously, they’re still taking up space in your mind’s memory banks.
And if you’ve crafted any physical notes, materials, or plans, these items will certainly impact your immediate workspace.
Here are three practical tips to help you finally tidy up those unfinished projects so you can free up both mental and physical energy to prepare yourself for what’s next on the horizon in your business.
Brainstorm project items to review.
You most likely have a general idea as to past projects that have yet to come to fruition.
No matter your situation, it doesn’t hurt to do a quick review of past projects. Take a few moments to review both internal and external projects.
Explore any avenue that has some sort of physical evidence related to a past, incomplete project.
Open email messages, check your calendar, browse through digital records, consult paper files, review your to-do list, and do some brainstorming.
Create a quick list of these items so they’re contained in one convenient location.
Evaluate projects with a three-step process
Revisiting past projects can be an eye-opening experience, especially when you realize how much both you and your business have changed over the course of countless weeks, months, and years.
What initially seemed like a good idea at first may fall flat now because there’s no interest, something has replaced it, there’s no value in it, or for some other reason.
That’s why it’s important to approach this via a three-step process.
First, you’ll want to review this project through the eyes of your past self. It’s that version of yourself that first interacted with or created the project.
Think back: What made this project interesting or inspiring? What was novel or exciting about it? What were your initial dreams, goals, or aspirations for this project?
Second, you’ll want to review the project through the lens of your present self. You’ll most likely notice a sharp contrast to the previous step.
How do you now feel about this project in context to other projects in your business? What about your business as a whole? What of your professional interests?
Third, you’ll want to use your imagination to take a step forward to the future. What do you see for your business’s future?
How might this project help or hinder your business’s future growth? Does this project fit with your current business model or format? Should this project be reconsidered at all or not?
Make a time-based decision.
While it’s important to review items from the past, there comes a time when you need to make a decision so you can move the rest of your business forward.
Set a specific decision-making deadline for yourself when it comes to those old or outdated projects and schedule it into your calendar.
If you’re going to keep the project or certain aspects of it, ask yourself where, when, why, and how it will be incorporated into the rest of your business.
What aspects are most urgent, important, or noteworthy? Who will work on it? How will it be incorporated into your daily work and routines? Make a plan now to transition this old project into your current project rotation and workload.
If you’re going to let the project go, do so with grace and appreciation. Thoughtfully gather any key learnings or ahas from your project review. See where and how you can use these learnings in your current projects.
Lastly, make a brief plan to archive old project materials for your business records, such as emails, files, notes, and conversations.
You’ll not only have a record of previous work, but you’ll literally close the book on the past, freeing up your time, energy, and attention to deal with present business matters.
Wrap up a business project with confidence
Finishing business projects is a key part of your regular work flow so you can continue to deliver products and services to your clients and customers.
If you want clarity when it comes to finishing up business projects so you can move forward with your work, book a free 30-minute video strategy session with me today.
How about you? What project types are you going to wrap up in your business? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!
This article originally appeared on Inc.com.
0 Comments