How do you maintain momentum?
If planning is a science, then timing is an art, and the more complex a plan is, the more critical time — and timing — becomes.
So it's vital I maintain momentum, or risk the slump, the sag, or the flop! Low places that are difficult to climb out from, and are places I hate to be.
This is a Sunday morning here in the north of England, and I've been flat out, cramming as much work as is feasible before I go for a 9-10k walk at 11am.
I run multiple threads of things, where each delivers something on short times scales — like improving the UX of a feature, refactoring some code to test a new thing I've learned and so on — but contribute to that greater whole.
Where the slump, the sag, and the flop come into things is when I have to reach out, ask for help, need authorization, require some essential piece of data or information, and I wait — then wait, and do some more waiting.
I mitigate against this by switching to some other thread, to keep the momentum going.
I get it, no-one but me works on Smallman Standard Time!
So, how do you maintain momentum?
Before I answer your 'How' question, I have two prerequisite questions: 1/ What is momentum? 2/ Why would you want to maintain that momentum?
Good questions!
Motion within a single task, or from one task to another without interruption.
To remain productive.
I suppose it's also a question of pace, too — doing anything financial slows the pace for me, and the the stopping and starting doesn't do much good for the momentum either.
So you want to keep doing target tasks with the assumption that interruptions are useless. Am I right?
Hi Alecia:
I have no problem with how I do things, but I am keen to know what others do.
What/who/why is the dependency? Is it a customer/boss/partner?...
Do you have nothing to do in parallel? Is it a complete blocker? And what is the frequency of this for you?
Hi! I've amended the article, so it's more clear this is an open ended question to everyone else.
Do you also need to come up with the tasks?
It seems like your work fits a Kanban style...
This is still light in details, but I'm guessing the fatigue is actually the switch over between executor and manager/initiator/... switching around the type of rules you play is very energy consuming, and more so if you just wish to keep the current hat on...
I do use Kanban boards for more complex things, but I tend to keep most tasks in my head.
We have a saying: A change is as good as a rest.
So for me, swapping to a different task is a refreshing act … unless it's finance, tax and so on, and it's as if someone's pulled the plug!
You might want to look into GTD
I'm more interested knowing how other people do things.
This reminds me of a concept called resistance in The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. That slump might be from the fear of judgement. Sometimes you have to acknowledge that the fear is preventing you from reaching your goal and push through it!
Hi Mark, the slump is because I’m waiting on something or someone else.
Hmmm are you sure its a slump? Could be a feeling of uneasiness from not having complete control in the process
Hi Mark, this is an open ended question to everyone else, not an invitation for a public diagnosis, but I am warmed by the concern.