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How to Finish everything you start

  • Author: Jan Yager
  • Amazon link
  • Theme: Practical strategies for overcoming procrastination and completing tasks effectively

The book provides practical strategies for overcoming procrastination and completing tasks effectively. Here's a summary:

  1. Identifying Obstacles: recognize common obstacles that hinder progress, such as fear of failure, perfectionism, or lack of time management skills.

  2. Setting Clear Goals: emphasizes on the importance of setting clear and achievable goals to maintain focus and motivation throughout the completion process.

  3. Time Management Techniques: read and implement various time management techniques to help readers prioritize tasks, manage their schedules efficiently, and make better use of their time.

  4. Overcoming Procrastination: use strategies for overcoming procrastination, including breaking tasks into smaller, more manageable steps and establishing accountability measures.

  5. Staying Motivated: use tips for staying motivated, such as rewarding yourself for progress and surrounding yourself with supportive peers or mentors.

  6. Dealing with Setbacks: know how to handle setbacks and challenges along the way, encouraging readers to learn from their mistakes and persevere toward their goals.

Overall, the book equips you with practical tools and strategies to overcome procrastination, stay focused, and successfully complete tasks and projects.

Key points

Find a great place to stop for the day.

If you end whatever you are trying to finish at a good point, it will be that much easier to pick right up again when you get back to it

By far the #1 reason for leaving a task or project unfinished is having too much to do.

Failing to plan for, or allow, interruptions

Another reason for failing to finish is that you are so unprepared for interruptions that when one or more occur, you get thrown by it.

If you have a fear of failure, you will delay finishing a project, so you do not have to deal with the potential negative feedback that you fear. If you fear success, procrastination delays that scenario from happening.

Make whatever you are procrastinating about the very first activity that you tackle first thing in the morning, or when you first get to the office.

F = Focus on one priority task
I = Ignore interruptions or distractions
N = Now is the time, not later or tomorrow
I = Initiate and innovate so you keep going
S = Stay the course however tough it gets
H = Hail finishing by celebrating your accomplishment

Innovate. Be open to trying new things and even fresh ideas or even new technology that might make it faster, easier, or better to finish what you started.

Those who have too many unfinished projects or activities often are trying to do everything themselves.

Failing to finish for all the right reasons

Should I have started this in the first place? If your answer is, "No", then it is okay to leave it unfinished, whatever it is.