Get Personal Projects Done with the Now Habit

by Dee Jones


Do you have a project that you’ve been neglecting?

If you’re like most of us, of course you do.

It could be the type of project you don’t have to do, like cleaning out the storage shed, or learning to draw.

Or maybe it’s a project that does need to get done, like an essay for school, a report for work, or filing your tax return. But knowing a project needs to get done doesn’t mean you’ll magically feel compelled to do it. In fact, if the project feels big and overwhelming, you’ll probably put it off until the last possible minute.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could get started on one of those neglected projects right now? If you could make progress on it almost effortlessly, without feeling much resistance?

Well, you can. And the The Now Habit will show you how.

Push, Pull and the Now Habit

When you work on a project, you’re either in Push Mode or Pull Mode.

When in Push Mode, you force yourself to do something. The work gets done, but it feels like pulling your own teeth. In other words, it’s a miserable experience that you don’t want to repeat. And when it’s time to work on that project again, you’ll do almost anything to avoid it.

Pull Mode is a much more pleasant way to work. In Pull Mode, you aren’t forcing yourself to work on a project. You’re just doing it and feeling little or no resistance.

When you think about working on the project tomorrow, you’re stomach won’t sink with dread. Instead, you’ll feel good about the progress you’ve already made. And that’s something you’ll want to repeat.

The more time you can spend in Pull Mode, the easier working on all of your projects will be.

And according to The Now Habit, by Dr. Neil Fiore, if you can change your mindset, you can be in Pull Mode even when working on the most unpleasant projects.

The Now Habit is all about overcoming procrastination. And if you’ve been struggling to get a project up and running, this strategy from that time management classic will help.

Getting Personal Projects Done the Now Habit Way

Step 1: Choose a project, and a time to work on it.

When you’ve been putting off a project for a while (or you’ve taken on an overwhelming new project) the only way to ensure you’ll actually work on it is to choose a specific time to do so.

Ideally, you want to work on your project at least 5 or 6 days a week. So pick the days you want to work on your project, and try to find a block of time when you’ll be free on those days.

Step 2: Commit to working on the project for just 30 minutes a day.

Many of us don’t start on a project because we imagine having to work on it for hour after boring hour.

To avoid that unpleasantness, commit to working on your project for just 30 minutes a day.

Doesn’t sound like enough time to get anything done? Well imagine working on an essay or report for 30 minutes a day. By the time the deadline is looming, you’ll have gotten a sizable chunk of the project done. And you won’t have as much left to do as you would if you were starting from scratch.

Step 3: Create a log to track your progress.

One way to stay motivated is to promise yourself a reward for working on a project.

But the reward doesn’t have to be a trip to the spa, or an extra piece of chocolate cake. Keeping a log of the amount of time you spend working on your project can also be a reward.

Either in a spreadsheet program on your computer or on a piece of paper in your notebook, create a time log similar to this one:

Time Log Template

When you work on your project and add that block of time to your log, a charge will go through you. And you’ll want to experience that charge again and again.

Step 4: When you’ve worked on your project for 30 minutes or more, add it to your log.

How many times have you sat down to work on a project only to be distracted by Twitter, an e-mail alert, or a sudden, desperate need to check out some cat videos on YouTube.

With this strategy, you’re only allowed to add time to your log if you’ve spent at least 30 focused, uninterrupted minutes working on your project.  And you’ll reach a point where you enjoy adding time to your log so much that you won’t let any distraction stand in the way of you doing just that.

Step 5: Do something fun.

After you’ve worked on your project for at least 30 focused minutes, do something fun. Read a chapter of that book everyone’s raving about. Or watch one of the shows waiting on your DVR.

When you make a habit of doing something fun after working on a project, you’re brain starts to associate working on your project with having fun.

So the next time you think, “Okay, it’s time to clean out the shed,” any resistance you feel will be counteracted by the knowledge that, in just 30 minutes, you can be surfing Facebook.

Step 6: Don’t forget to log other times you work on the project.

Sometimes, you’ll want to work on your project even after you’ve logged your 30 minutes for the day.

You’ll think, “Yes, I worked on my essay before dinner, but I bet I can write another page or two before bed.”

When you work on a project regularly, you’ll start to build momentum. You’ve gotten started. You’ve made some progress. Now there’s a part of you that wants to keep going.

It’s classic Pull Mode.

Any time you work on your project for at least 30 minutes, add it to your log.

The 10-Minute Tweak

This “30 minutes a day” strategy works a lot of the time. But what if you’re feeling really overwhelmed by a project, and working on it for 30 straight minutes feels next to impossible?

Then drop your commitment to 10 minutes a day.

It’s much easier to commit to 10 minutes than 30. And even when you decide to do something for just 10 minutes, you’ll often slip into Pull Mode and end up working for 30 minutes or more anyway.

So here’s the “10-Minute Tweak.”

1. Choose a project to work on, and a specific time to work on it 5 or 6 days a week.
2. Commit to working on the project for just 10 minutes a day.
3. Create a log to track your progress.
4. Any time you work on your project for 10 minutes or more, add it to your log.
5. After you’ve worked on your project for at least 10 minutes, do something fun.

If you have a neglected project that you want to get up and running, give this strategy a try.

And if you’d like to learn more about overcoming procrastination and finishing your projects, I highly recommend The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play.