How to Keep a Big Project From Stressing You Out!

By Patty Gardner

Have you ever had a big project you needed to do but you were completely overwhelmed and didn’t know where to start?  The solution to that problem is simple – break the project down into smaller steps.   Here are a couple of examples from my life.

I have two quilt projects going right now.  I was feeling overwhelmed so I made a couple of charts for my planner that broke each quilt project down into manageable steps.

The first chart is just a bunch of boxes.  Each box represents a square of the quilt.  For some reason, I’m more motivated to quilt if I get to check off a box each time I finish a square.  Plus I can see at all times where I am in the project.

Quilt 1

The second chart is a little more detailed since I was in the beginning stages of the project when I made the chart.  The chart lists the steps required to sew the top together, boxes representing each square, and then a few steps at the end for finishing.  I felt a lot better about this project once I made the chart.  And each time I mark off a step, I feel like I’m making progress and the project doesn’t seem so overwhelming.

 Quilt 2

So it’s your turn.  Take a look at your to do list and see what projects could be broken down into smaller sized pieces.  Then make a list of all the steps required and get started!  You’ll be surprised at how much less overwhelming it feels.

1311037-fp-guru-bio-pattygardner

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *