Creating an Incomplete Project List

Completion Quest

In my last post, I wrote about my desire to wrap up some loose ends from the last few years. Things that drain my energy every time I think about them not being finished. It’s my quest for completion.

This is my plan for tackling my incomplete projects

1. Create a list of incomplete projects (spending about a week to do this)
2. Categorize them – complete vs. let go (I might have a “I’ll revisit this in a year” pile also but maybe not – I like to be clear and make decisions as it gives me momentum.)
3. Create and hold some type of ritual to let go of the projects that don’t make the cut.
4. Prioritize the projects I do want to complete
5. Work through the incomplete projects one at a time as the year goes by
6. Celebrate each completion

7. Repeat as needed when I feel my energy being drained – complete completion isn’t something I believe I will ever achieve, instead I think it is a process to be enjoyed (hence the celebration step).

What is an Incomplete Project?

I figured step 1 would be easy given all of the todo lists I have made in my life.

Turns out it wasn’t that simple. I started to ponder “what exactly was an incomplete project?”

• Is fixing the headlight on my car an incomplete project or is it just an errand I’ve put off for a while?
• What about all those projects I want to do, have thought about, but haven’t really started yet – do they count?
• What about things I’m actively working on now but haven’t yet finished? Should I list them?

Clearly I was procrastinating and seriously over thinking this list. It’s just a list, whatever I put there and get finished will be excellent and move me forward.

Yet those questions still nagged at me, so I decided to answer them for myself.

• I grouped all the little things (like making copies of my car key) into Overdue Errands and list them as a single item. I didn’t want to clutter the list with small items.
• I only listed projects that I made a substantial start on. I started a different list for future projects I want to do. My goal is to finish some older projects so I have the space and energy to start new things. If I put new projects on the list I figured I’d just end up with a longer list of unfinished things to do.
• I didn’t list projects I’m actively working on – such as the long todo list to get my son ready for college, or landscaping my yard. I already include these things in my daily and weekly activities and I know they will get done. If not I’ll add them to the list later.

Order

After sorting through these thoughts and defining what I meant by incomplete project, it was a lot easier to make my list. Took just a few days.

I suspect not everyone would need such clarification to make a todo list, but for me it really helped. Artists are stereotypically free spirited and this sort of exercise definitely doesn’t fit into that personality. Such folks probably would never think to make an incomplete project list.

I used to think I wasn’t an artist because of my organization skills. I’m good at, I like order. I like clean, spare rooms. Disorganization and clutter don’t work for me. Even when it comes down to an unfinished project list.

I’ve gotten over thinking I should be more like the stereotype. I’m an artist – and I like order. And over the last 5 1/2 years of blogging, I’ve met a lot of artists with similar mindsets.

Next Step

My list of incomplete projects is here: Projects to Complete.

Next up, I will categorize and prioritize the list.

In the meantime I’ve been tackling that long list of errands and the piles of paper in my office is slowly diminishing. As the paper is filed, processed, tossed – the office feels lighter and full of great energy. I love it!

Wrap Up

What projects do you want to finish up this year?

 
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—lisa

Thinking Big about Art