How To Know If Your Project Is Broken And 3 Ways To Fix It
When faced with a workload, there are basically 3 ways to address it.
You can slash tasks and agree to get less done.You can increase your capacity to do the tasks, which may mean hiring people and taking on overhead costs.You can automate and streamline processes to make work with existing resources get done faster.Thats it.
When facing crises, this might mean the stakes are high.
If that’s true, you may need to involve stakeholders to “pick your poison.”If you can’t hire more people and if you can’t decrease the workload, you’re going to have to increase speed or work extra hours to get it done.
This means your project might be broken!
If you’re working extra hours, something is broken.If your work requires heroism or martyrdom to get finished on a regular basis, your project is broken!
2 Minute Action
Take your pick of these three options. You may fine that a hybrid method works, too—using two or all three at the same time.Reply here with your hunch and let me know how you plan to execute!
Why You Shouldn’t Be The Hero
Being a hero is sexy.
Everyone grows up wanting to wear a mask and have super powers.
The trouble is that while the idea of super-hero powers is attractive, it’s not functional.
Unless you have found a glowing vat of toxic waste and survive contact, you can probably kiss this dream goodbye. In fact, you can also kiss other types of heroism goodbye. Like:
- Working 100 hour weeks.
- Never taking breaks.
- Missing your kids’ baseball games.
The list goes on.
You don’t have to suffer to be productive or successful.
I’m going to say that one more time to help it sink in. You don’t have to suffer to be productive or successful.
If your work requires heroism to get the job done, your process is broken.
There are plenty of people who are more successful and productive than you and who are also happy.
2 Minute Action
What is something you really love doing?Take 2 minutes right now to carve out whatever time you need to do that thing. It can be for this week or for next month. Just carve out the time and look out for yourself.