Mastering the Art of Elimination so Next Actions are Clear and Easy
A process for removing unnecessary complications from projects so you can focus on the important tasks and get stuff done.
The problem with creatives is they love to tinker and overengineer solutions. While they may not intentionally seek to complicate projects, they can have a strong bias towards complexity. It's almost as if they use it as a means to flex their abilities.
At this point, you might be either a) wondering how I could have the audacity to say such a thing, or b) feeling extremely put out by this statement.
But, I can boldly make this statement with confidence because I am a creative, I tinker and overengineer things, and I know other creatives that also err on the side of complexity š
The issue here is that overengineering solutions can lead to unnecessary stress and can also majorly hinder the progress of a project. And if youāre also a creative solopreneur as I am, then you probably donāt have anyone questioning your process (or madness ;-) with ONE CRUCIAL question, which has ended up becoming a real life saver for me, more about that later.
So in this article, Iām going to share my practical process for mastering the art of elimination.
Take what resonates with you, feel free to disregard what doesnāt š
Step One - Start at the end:
When I start planning a project the first thing I do is define exactly what the completed project is, or as Greg McKeown puts it in his book *Effortless: Define what ādoneā looks like. This first step helps me to maintain focus on the finish line, and eliminate unnecessary tasks which weāll look at in a moment.
For example, I plan all my weekly Substack writing in Notion and group them together as a monthly topic, therefore, my monthly topics are planned much like a project with the articles becoming tasks that contain sub-tasks.
As part of the project planning process I define done right at the start. Hereās the ādoneā definition for this monthās writing project:
3 Substack articles published for the month of Oct (e.g. researched/written/scheduled/published. Images created.) Monthly round up drafted and ready to add links to the articles.
Step Two - Break the project down:
Yes, itās that olā chestnut again! But the key to making big projects effortless is to chop them down into smaller, manageable chunks, this will make it easier to prioritise tasks and track progress.
Weāve covered this one extensively so Iāll leave a link to additional resources in the Next Actions section below (because we are walking the walk, right?!).
Step Three - Identify high impact tasks:
Once I have a road map of my project I can start to figure out which tasks are essential for the success of the project and prioritise them accordingly. This steps helps me spot if any tasks are simply ānice to havesā - and this spot check conveniently takes me to the next step in the process...
Step Four - Eliminate non-essential tasks:
By pinpointing which tasks are ānice to havesā, I can spot things that donāt contribute to a project being ādoneā and eliminate or defer them.
Step Five - Create a lazy solution :
By this stage I have a pretty solid project plan, so this is the perfect time to pause and ask myself āwhat would a lazy version of this look like?ā. This ONE CRUCIAL question is vital for me because I know I have a perfectionistic trait which results in a tendency to overengineer my projects!
It was this line of questioning that lead me to ask āhow can I simplify my weekly Substack publication process?ā and thus the monthly round-up was born. And now you know this you canāt un-see it š so use it as a reminder to ask yourself the ONE CRUCIAL question: āwhat would a lazy version of my project look like?ā.
Step Six - Donāt set it in stone:
Iām stickler for creating a project plan š¤ but itās not a complicated or lengthy process because I have tools to help me (see Next Actions below), plus itās a vital part of being able toā¦
Get. Stuff. Done.
However, I donāt set it in stone. Once Iām full steam ahead into the project, the plan helps me to continuously assess my progress and make adjustments as needed, such as removing unnecessary steps or simplifying complicated ones.
Because the focus is on the destination, or āwhat done looks like" to borrow from Greg McKeown, rather than the specific vehicle to get there.
And so, if the vehicle is rubbish Iām not afraid to ditch it for something better whenever possible!
Next Actions
If you need help with project planning then check out this article Breaking Down a Creative Project Step by Step.
There are additional resources in the Project Planning Section at Keshinomi (the product based aspect of my business).
Once you have a step by step plan for your project, look for any tasks that arenāt imperative to the project being done or that are overly complicated - can you eliminate, defer or simplify?
Donāt forget to do a complexity check by asking the crucial question āwhat would a lazy version of this look like?ā
Next week weāll be embracing rubbish as a method for taking consistent action. (That is, not being afraid to be rubbish, to test things out and put things out there!)
In the meantime, the final take away here is that simplicity can be the key to success, so take what resonates from my process to streamline your projects.
Don't let overcomplication hold you back from completing your most impactful work.
Chloe x
* Please note: I found this [Audible] book through my own research, personally purchased and listened to it for my own use before writing this blog post, but as an Amazon Associate I earn from any qualifying purchases you may make after clicking these links.