Ok, so we’re not going to eat a real elephant, but aren’t there tasks and projects that seem as big as an elephant? You’re not sure where to start – at the tail or the ears? If you get overwhelmed at the prospect of doing something new and big in your business, you’re not alone.

Putting off or AKA procrastination, of big projects is nothing new. I’ll admit it – I’m a procrastinator. Have been all my life. There’s something about the thrill of deadlines that gets my creative juices flowing and amazingly, turns out some of my best work.

Now, I’m not encouraging this kind of behaviour. On the contrary, this ‘last minute’ countdown doesn’t work for everyone. I had a friend in university that plotted out every little task that needed to be done to complete any project. That strategy worked for her and we both were on the honour roll – go figure.

So what to do when you’ve got an ‘elephant’ of a project and you’re feeling overwhelmed? Here’s a method that really works to break through that wall and get moving in a forward direction:

1. Write out the purpose of the project. Why are you doing it? What will the return on your investment of time, energy, etc.?

2. Make a list of ALL the steps involved in achieving your desired outcome.

3. Break those steps down into bite-sized actions with an estimated time to complete them.

4. Schedule those steps in your daily, weekly and/or monthly planner. Use reminders or set alarms on your phone or computer to help you stay on track.

5. Complete them on the day assigned.

Schedules can sometimes take a beating when it gets busy, so stay on track – one bite at a time and before you know it, you’ve finished what you’ve set out to do. The best part? Follow this method and the more you do it, the faster your projects will get completed, your dread of starting anything big will diminish and you’ll start to look forward to the next ‘elephant’!

(don’t forget your table manners!)

Now Go Get  Connected!

About Cathy Kuzel
An award-winning Leader, Entrepreneur and Business Development Strategist, Cathy teaches entrepreneurs how to let go of limiting beliefs and “Stand Up & Stand Out” to have the business success they dream of. Cathy is recognized across Canada for her expertise on “All Things Small Biz”. Named one of the Top Ten Mentors in Canada, Women of Worth Leader of the Year, the Founder of The Connected Woman Association, Author of “Are You a Collector or a Connector?”; “I’m on the Phone!”; the internationally known “Daily Espressos” and is a networking maven. (whew!)