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Sometimes the size of the project you’re working on — or looking to work on — can be daunting. At the day job, you have a manager to break down the work for you
by DarrenDev 6y ago
Sometimes the size of the project you’re working on — or looking to work on — can be daunting. At the day job, you have a manager to break down the work for you and pass it around the team in bite-sized chunks.
You have to be that manager yourself — breaking the app or product down into small components and working out what should get done first.
Build a list in a form you’re familiar with — even if it’s a form you don’t like such as Jira. Break it down into large chunks and smaller assignments. Then start on the small stuff, ticking them off on by one.
When you see tasks being completed and the list moving, it builds a sense of momentum and it gets easier to keep going day after day.
If you don't know what you're going to work on or haven't decided what to build yet, then stop what you're doing and work this out first.
- pototo666 6y agoThanks, the list advice is promising. I used to have list in my side project, mostly to help me remember what to do. I stopped having them when I becoem full-time, believing that I know what to do, which is only half true. I shall log in my trello again. :)
- josefdlange 6y agoIMO give paper lists -- or maybe something like Notes on an iPad with an Apple Pencil if you're really married to digitization -- a fair shake. Sometimes I find my brain needs the tactile/concreteness to really build motivation. Even just checking a box on paper! No book is going to solve the problem for you, but "Every Tool's a Hammer" (Adam Savage, of Mythbusters and Tested fame) I found to be a great little memoir about learning how to be a self-directed maker.