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A blog, a small business, a hobby, a service organization; all of these things result in side projects. We all have them, the projects the we undertake outside of our regular business tasks. They can be fulfilling or they can just drag you down if you don’t manage them correctly. Here are three ways I stay on top of my side projects:
1. Harness your passion… immediately! You have probably heard the old saying “waste not, want not” while, it holds true when it comes to your passion for a side project just as it does elsewhere in life. If I don’t seize my big ideas and apply them in specific actions to my side projects, I lose them and progress stagnates. When the spirit moves you, capitalize on it or you will lose it! At the very least, write it down.
2. Clearly define each project. I keep all of my projects separate with different Outlook folders, Gmail labels and folders on my computer. I take basic notes in a text editor and track my to dos for each project separately with the most pressing ones on my daily to do list. If you let projects just mush into each other, things drop through the cracks and the wheels quickly fall off.
3. Fight through fatigue by building your team. I was talking to a friend the other day about one of his projects and he said,
“This is a lot of work, I didn’t realize how much time this would take and I am getting tired of it”.
His project was definitely worth it, he provides a great resource but, he was just getting tired. You need other people to keep you in it and keep you fired up! If you are in a group, you feel committed to the group and they notice when you fall behind. So, if you start hitting a wall, grab someone else to help you over!
How do you stay motivated and work through your side projects?
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Interesting post.
For me, it's making sure the projects are things I am really passionate about. If not, I need to reconsider it, because I don't really have the time or energy for any more projects/ventures/etc etc.
I have to clearly map out my commitments - I started using the FreeMind mind mapping software to help me with that. Once I'm clear on my commitments and have prioritized them, I set the deadlines (for example, the website for my new business needs to launch by Friday).
Within that, I almost have to plan day by day around other things I'm working on. Since I have a client based business, a flexible part time job, AND I'm hunting for a new job, there's no practical way to set aside a standard time to work on something. But I estimate how much time something will take me, and then I'll block out time in random places on my schedule to work on the project so it can be complete by the deadline. It's not the ideal way of doing things, but it's the best way for me with a schedule where no day looks like the one before.
Lately, my process has been first thing I do when I get home (whether it's at noon, 5pm, or 10 at night) make a list of what needs to be completed by the end of the day - then set a certain amount of time to work on each thing. Again, not ideal, but it's what works.
I agree with Nathan. In addition to passion, you also need to prioritize and set aside time to execute the project.
I have to disagree with some of what Nathan and Susan say. Although it would be nice to set aside a standard time every week to work on projects, I just have never had life work like that outside my 9-5. Its more do it when I can, have deadlines of course. Be it 11 oclock at night, or spare time at lunch, this allows me to stay very flexible. But maybe I am just unorganized like that!
As for prioritizing, that is important, and something I do at the beginning of every week!
Some interesting points, I don't know if those would be my top 3, but they're important none the less.
I think clearly defining each project is the best point, but I'd take it further. Define the goals and when they should be met. But most importantly, imho, to define /when/ you will work on the project and for how long? Eg: 5 hours every friday is project time. I've found this keeps my resources properly balanced and productivity high.
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