I've been reading Oliver Burkeman's Meditations for Mortals, which is a series of very short essays, designed to be read over 28 days (two thumbs up so far, but I'm only on day 11).
Day 9 is all about finishing things, which seemed particularly relevant given the "new beginning" energy of January.
Here are a few pieces from the chapter:
Perfectionists love to begin new endeavors, because the moment of starting belongs to the world of limitlessness: for as long as you haven't done any work on a project, it's still possible to believe that the end result might match the ideal in your mind. You can luxuriate in the feeling of pure potential...
and
By contract, finishing things means slogging your way through the messy, imperfect reality of what the project actually became...
and
...repeatedly starting but rarely finishing things, or finishing them only under duress, is a recipe for misery. You get fewer worthwhile things done, not least because, whenever you hit a difficult patch in whatever you're doing, there are several other projects you can scurry off to instead.
Brutal. Not that I would know anything about this. Ahem.
Anyway, one recommendation in this chapter is to spend a work day on a finishing sprint, tidying up loose ends and wrapping up things that can be completed.
I love this idea and plan to give it a try this week. Maybe you could use a January finishing sprint, too?
Take care,
Camille
