Today’s ‘List Friday’. Earlier this week, in Melbourne, darling Emily asked me if I’m short of lists for List Fridays. After I replied I’m always in the market for interesting lists, she sent me this link to zenhabits whose Archives contain several lists. For today’s list I chose ‘4 Simple Principles of Getting to Completion’ – because I’m guilty of starting tasks and not completing them. I’ll bet you are too. I think the ‘4 Simple Principles’ are actually three – because the first (‘Keep the scope as simple as possible’) and the third (‘Kill extra features’) mean the same thing. Regarding simplification, I’ve long thought a complex task’s best managed by breaking it into small parts. Regarding ‘Good enough’, though I’m fairly obsessional, I understand that due to the law of diminishing returns, settling only for perfection’s inefficient. However it’s reasonable to aim for perfection whilst settling for less. Regarding making it public quickly, Sweetheart Vivienne’s long said that when writing – anything – the aim should be to complete a first draft ASAP. That is, reworking a first draft’s more efficient than attempting a higher quality first draft. As usual, her advice is wise and true. These four (or three) ‘Simple Principles’ may not move all your tasks to completion. But if you apply them to your most important or urgent tasks they should make a big difference.
P.S. Thanks, darling Emily, for the link.
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