Time to Get Moving!
Are you “spinning your wheels” but getting nothing done? Jumping from task to task without making progress? Wondering why you can’t move forward on your projects? Drowning in data? Just can’t figure out what to do next?
You, like me, may suffer from Analysis Paralysis. For me, it is something I always have to be aware of. I sometimes find myself unsure of what to do next while I mentally search for the perfect outcome. Yours may be different, but there are some things that you can do to pull out of it. These tricks work for me and can work for you:
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Accept Imperfection!
Remember: Continuous Process Improvement. That means that we aren’t expected to get it perfect the first time. Sure, we all want to create our masterpiece with every project. But Process Improvement is cyclical. We should always plan on revisiting our processes and making incremental improvements. So take the pressure off yourself for just a little bit and let yourself be human.
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Make a Task List
You may find that listing steps can help you get moving on your project. Breaking the big elephant into bite-sized chunks makes it easier to digest (figuratively… Elephant poaching is still illegal!)
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Get Out of the Weeds
You might be digging a little too deep into the details. Step back and look at the bigger picture. Do you really need that level of detail, or will a little abstraction help your project move along faster?
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Ask a Team Member’s Advice
Do you have a protégé you’re grooming? Ask him/her what they would do in your situation. You might be surprised at the result, and they just might appreciate the level of trust you are showing.
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Make a Decision and Move Forward
It doesn’t matter what decision this is. Just make one, and move to the next step.
The key to overcoming analysis paralysis is to change your paradigm. The approach you are currently using has locked you into a cycle of indecision and over-thinking the problem. Remember that a project that is 80% perfect is 100% better than no project at all.
I have a long history with over-analyzing simple problems. It has taken me a long time to figure out a way to overcome the issue, and it still sneaks up on me from time to time. The 5 steps I’ve written above have helped me move past it; hopefully they will work for you. Just don’t think about them too much!
How has this problem affected you in the past? Do you have any tricks that help you get back on track? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!