“Most of us have heard the saying, we eat an elephant one bite at a time. But we still grapple over the question. How big a bite is too big?”
Lynette Chandler
t is no secret. I love making web apps. Particularly the large, complex projects. They taught me the invaluable lesson of doing things one minuscule step at a time.
We all know we should break down our projects. Most of us have heard the saying, we eat an elephant one bite at a time. But we still grapple over the question. How big a bite is too big?
Too often, we think each task should be meaty. Otherwise, it doesn’t feel like we’re accomplishing anything significant. We slice the project, but not nearly small enough for our minds to grasp.
While this may work for some, for people like me, a task that contains 3, 4, or more child tasks is too much to handle.
I’ve found, I’m most productive and excited when my tasks are singular tasks. Here’s what I mean. Remember how your math teacher tells you to simplify your answer until you cannot make it any smaller? That’s what I’m talking about.
Yes, your task list for a project becomes much longer. But, it also means you will get through each task faster, and you become more motivated by each task you check off.
Do not discount the small steps. The power in these small loops is amazing. They are like the small gear in a machine that if lost or broken, stops the other larger ones from moving.
Are you overwhelmed? Then I challenge you to try simplifying until you cannot simplify anymore. Then, go at each mini step with gusto. You’ll be surprised how fast you get through.
