Have you noticed how much stuff you can accumulate when you start working on a personal project?
Lists. Brochures. Schedules. Business cards. It can all add up fast. And the longer you work on a project, the harder it becomes to keep track of everything.
If you’re like some, you have these “project materials” scattered all over the place. Some of it’s in your desk drawer. Some is on your computer. Some might even be in the trunk of your car.
Or maybe you’ve managed to be a bit more organized, and have stuffed everything into a hanging file folder in your filing cabinet. But things still feel disorganized. And that sense of messiness can be enough to make you avoid the project altogether.
What you need is a system that tells you exactly where to put it all so you’ll be able to find what you need when you need it.
A system like the Action Method.
Created by Scott Belsky, the Action Method is one of the simplest project management systems you’re likely to come across. He describes the method in detail in his book Making Ideas Happen. But you don’t have to read the book to give the Action Method a try.
Belsky also wrote a series of articles in which he described the basics of his system. And, if you’re struggling to get a personal project in order, the basics might be all you need.
And here’s how you can start using the Action Method right now.
How to Use the Action Method
According to Belsky, any project can be broken down into three components.
Action Steps
The Action Steps are the things you actually need to do in order to complete the project.
If you break your projects down into smaller, more doable tasks (and you really should), those tasks would go on your list of Action Steps.
Say you were throwing a party. Some of your Action Steps might include:
- Hiring a caterer.
- Buying stamps to send out the invitations.
- Working out the budget.
- Putting together a menu.
References
References include any information you might need reference while you work on the project.
In our party example, your references could include:
- Phone numbers for all of the service providers, including the caterer, the band, bartenders, etc.
- A copy of the menu you’ve worked out.
- A list of guests, with a star next to the names of guests who will definitely be attending.
- The brain dump list you made when you first started working on the project.
Backburner Items
Backburner Items are “side items” you come across while working on a project. They aren’t really related to the project itself, but you don’t want to lose track of them.
Some examples of Backburner Items could include:
- The phone number of local ice sculptors, just in case you decide you want one of those for the party. (You doubt you will, but anything’s possible.)
- A pamphlet about starting a side business as a party planner.
- Old versions of the menu. (It seems to change every other day.)
- The brochure from that one venue you really liked. It wasn't right for this particular party, but it might be perfect for some other event.
Supplies
So what kind of supplies do you have to run out and buy in order to use this system?
Well, if you like, you can buy one of the products designed specifically to work with the Action Method. And, if you are a notebook junkie, you might find the Action Journal hard to resist.
You can also do the Action Method using a ninety-nine cent notebook, a manila folder, or some plain text documents on your computer.
I’ve even done the Action Method using a simple, two-pocket folder. These folders actually work perfectly with the Action Method. You can keep References in the left-hand pocket. Backburner items can go in pocket on the right. And you can clip your list of Action Steps to the front of the folder, so they’ll always be front and center.
It’ possible that, as the project chugs along, the folder won’t be big enough for all of the project materials you accumulate. In that case, you can move some of the bulkier Reference and Backburner items to a manila envelope.
Of course, you don’t have to use a two-pocket folder. You don’t even have to keep everything in one place. You could keep physical Reference and Backburner items in a hanging file folder, digital items in a folder on your computer, and your main Action List in a to-do app on your phone,
What really matters is that you know where to put stuff so you’ll know exactly where things are when you need them.
If you find that your personal projects like to get out of control, give the Action Method a try. The method is simple, but a simple system might be all you need to tame the chaos.
And if you’d like to know more about the Action Method, check out this series of articles written by Scott Belsky.
