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FREELANCE PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Invasion of the Proje'mon
(c) 2000 Peggy Murrah
You caught me- a subtle play on words for the immensely popular
children's trading cards. The Proje'mon, however, is not a game.
It is a source of turmoil, grief and agony. It causes sleepless
nights and obsessions about what is to come. Once it latches hold,
neither hell nor high water will make it let go. It is the Project
Monster.
The Proje'mon feeds on time. The more time a project is to take,
the longer a Proje'mon has to eat. It becomes fatter and more demanding.
Before you know it, your focus is on the Proje'mon, rather than
the project itself.
There are several ways to combat the growing monster. Determine
what's needed to keep your own Proje'mon in check.
Diligence: You must be diligent in completing
your task. Every project I have met has expanded to fill the time
alloted. If I have 24 hours to complete a task, it is finished in
23.7 hours. If I have two weeks to complete the very same task,
I will have it ready the evening of Day 13. Diligence ensures that
you work on the project consistently, not waiting until the very
last moment.
Balance: Balance follows closely on the heels
of diligence. You must order your days so that they are not all
work, or all play. If the two week project were completed by the
second day, that would be great for the remaining twelve days. But
what have you given up those first two days when you worked non-stop
until completion?
Divide into parts: Break your project into bite-sized
portions. All tasks are manageable when you can see easily completed,
individual tasks.
Prioritize: This is where you tackle the individual
parts. Decide which segment needs to be taken care of first, second,
and so on. Depending on how your particular project divides up,
you may choose to complete just one or two segments a day.
Organize: This point trips up many people. It
is very important to have the proper tools needed to complete your
task. Too often, people choose to 'make-do' with whatever tools
are at hand, rather than acquiring the right tools in the beginning.
This alone will save on frustration and time spent on 'doing things
the hard way.'
Find ways to turn the drudgery into something enjoyable:
This is a matter of re-training your will. Everyone does a better
job when they are working on something they like. Stretch your mental
capacities and find something to enjoy about the task at hand- even
if it comes down to the freedom you will feel once the task is complete!
Peggy Murrah : HomeMomCoach.com
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