The other weekend my husband and I helped a friend move. There were about a dozen of us helping out. She had already packed everything into boxes that she labeled with the room the contents belonged in. And the rented moving truck was waiting in the street for us to start moving boxes and furniture into.
My parents tell a story about a friend of theirs that they helped move many years ago. When they showed up on moving day ready to help move boxes they found nothing had been packed. So, they quickly and haphazardly started putting things in boxes. It was a long day.
Which moving process do you think went quickly, smoothly and had less stress?
The one with more planning and work done prior to moving day is the obvious answer. By the time my husband and I left in the early afternoon all the boxes were moved into the new house. The boxes weren’t all in the rooms that they belonged in, but they were close by and grouped together. Each bedroom had the bed put together and made and clothes were put away. So, even though not everything was unpacked and put away, the things that they needed in the next 12 to 24 hours were available.
As for my parent’s story, I think at the end of the day all the boxes were in the new house, but no one knew what was in each box and I’m guessing their friend might have spent the night on a mattress on the floor.
So, which approach do you take? And I’m not talking about moving house and home. When you have a goal or a project that you want done do you break it down into pieces and do those things ahead of time? Do you ask for help so things go quickly and smoothly?
A quick breakdown of the successful move:
- She had a goal with a specific date.
- All the needed pre-work was done prior to that date (packing, labeling, and cleaning the new place).
- She asked for and received help from friends and family (and everyone played nicely together).
- Everyone was clear on the goals and what their strengths were and applied them accordingly.
- She showed everyone she appreciated their help by (1) feeding everyone and (2) she gave everyone a personal thank you and hug
So, how do you take this example and apply it to the goals and projects in your life?
- Define your goal / project
- Give it a due date
- Make a list of all the tasks that will make your goal/project a success
- Complete the tasks in a timely manner.
- Know your strengths and ask for help where needed
- When asking for help, be clear what you expect from the other person (and when you expect it)
- Show appreciation for those that helped you reach your goal!
- Celebrate when you reach your goal!
What steps would you add that help make a goal or project successful?