The Finishing Strategy for People Who Thrive on New Ideas

Photo by david Griffiths on Unsplash‍ ‍

TL/DR:

• Unfinished projects from last year were blocking the fun, creative work ahead.

• A dedicated "last mile week" to close out lingering tasks cleared the mental and logistical clutter.

• The concept borrows from shipping: the last mile is getting packages from the warehouse to your door. Same idea for your to-do list.

• Finishing boring tasks isn't fun in the moment, but the relief and freedom afterward are worth it.

• If you love starting more than finishing, try scheduling a last mile day or week to finally get those loose ends tied up.

The Whole Shebang:

My word of the year is whims. 

Why?

Because I tend to be a planner; as someone with ADHD, I require that structure to function (even if I often resist it).

And literally no one would say that I’m spontaneous. (Just ask my husband.)

But this year, I want more of following what seems fun and less of planning for what I hope will work out. 

I want more whimsy. 

And in order to have more whimsy I need to be able to follow my whims. 

I’m going to embrace my shiny object syndrome a little more than I have in the past.

Will it work?  Will I like it?  Who knows?  That’s why I’m experimenting.

However, I have all these ideas (whims!) that I want to lean into, but I was feeling that it was difficult to lean into them them when I also had a bunch of unfinished projects leftover from last year (because I’m human and nothing magical happens on 12/31, dates are made up.  End of rant.  Thank you for coming to my TED talk.)

And so I blocked off a week.

And I called it “last mile” week. 

You know, like “last mile delivery”.

Shipping generally occurs in 2 phases, putting your stuff on a cargo plane or ship to get it to your city.  And then the “last mile” folks who get it from the warehouse it’s delivered to to your front door.

So, I scheduled this last mile week, with the goal being to knock out the “last mile” of the unfinished projects and tasks (many of which were kinda boring!) so that I could get onto the whims.

And you know what?  It worked. 

And I liked it.

Did I like doing all that stuff? 

Not exactly.  But I definitely liked getting it done!

And now, as I write this on a plane coming back from a vacation, I’m ready to lean into the whims.

No more loose ends hanging over my head.

So, if you’ve got a bunch of unfinished stuff hanging over your head, dragging you down, schedule a last mile week, or a last mile day, and see how much freer you feel afterwards. 

(Not to mention accomplished!!)

And if you’re the kind a person who likes starting more than finishing, well, this technique is for you.

When you’re ready, here are 3 ways we can work together:

1. Enroll in the Time Well Spent courseBite-sized, shame-free steps to take control of your time, and your life. Built for real people with big lives, big jobs, or both. Learn more, or enroll here.

2. Get 1:1 CoachingHigh-touch coaching for people managers, leaders, executives and founders who need a trusted partner to streamline priorities, manage the overwhelm, and focus on what moves the needle most. Schedule a call to explore if this is the right fit for you.

3. Explore Team Workshops/TrainingCustomized workshops and trainings to help your team improve productivity without burnout and create a culture where people (actually) thrive. Schedule a call to explore if this is the right fit for you.