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The Start, Continue, Finish Technique

The start. continue, finish getting tasks done technique

Do you keep pushing daunting tasks to the bottom of your to-do list? Maybe it’s launching a new project, writing a lengthy report, or tackling a challenging problem. Whatever it is, it feels like an impossible mountain to climb. You keep pushing it off, promising to get to it later. But ‘later’ never seems to come.

The Start, Continue, Finish technique

We’ve all been there. Staring at a task on our to-do list that seems too big, too complex or overwhelming to tackle. It’s easy to fall into the trap of postponing, ignoring, or pushing these tasks to the back burner. But what if there was a simple technique to make even the most daunting tasks feel manageable? Enter the Start, Continue, Finish method.

This three-step approach, developed by productivity expert Carl Pullein, breaks down any task or project into three primary phases:

  1. START
    The first step is to begin. This could be as small as creating a blank document for a report, gathering research materials in one place, or drafting a quick outline. The key is to add “Start” to the beginning of your task description. So “Launch new marketing campaign” becomes “Start launching new marketing campaign”. This mental reframe permits you to spend as much or as little time as you have available without the pressure of completing the entire task at once.
  2. CONTINUE
    Once you’ve started, keep the momentum by changing the task to “Continue launching new marketing campaign”. Again, dedicate whatever time you can spare to chip away at the task. Schedule it as often as needed. The “Continue” phase is all about making steady, incremental progress.
  3. FINISH
    As you near the end of the task, change the verb one final time to “Finish launching new marketing campaign”. This signals the finish line is in sight and provides a motivational boost to push through to completion.

Why it works

The genius of the Start, Continue, Finish technique lies in its simplicity. Breaking a task into these three phases makes it far less intimidating. You permit yourself to take small, manageable steps rather than feeling overwhelmed by the entirety of the project. It puts you in control, allowing you to dedicate time to a task based on your availability, not the task’s complexity.

Putting it into practice

Take a look at your current to-do list. Identify any tasks that you’ve been putting off or rescheduling due to their daunting nature. Add “Start”, “Continue” or “Finish” to the beginning of the task description, based on where you are in the process. Then, commit to spending a designated amount of time – even if it’s just 10 minutes – working on that phase of the task. As you make progress, update the verb, and keep going until you reach “Finish”.

Bottom line

The beauty of the Start, Continue, Finish technique lies in its adaptability. Whether you’re a student grappling with a complex project, an entrepreneur launching a new venture, or a professional facing a challenging assignment, this technique can be your guiding light. By starting small, continuing with focused effort, and pushing through to the finish line, you’ll develop a resilient, can-do mindset that transcends any task.

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