I have experienced this a lot while working on professional and personal projects. Sometimes it's so hard to finish the last bits of polish I just shut down for quite a good while.
Just a couple of days ago when I was working on a new feature for Otto, I was almost done but I was telling my dad about how there's only 10% left and it's so hard to wrap up the last bits. This isn't only true for software projects but also for a lot of projects in different industries. We're always trained to look at the next shiny item and wonder - is this the next gold? Will this make me fulfilled?
But why is it that our mindset changes from "I can't wait to start this project" to "I can't wait for this nightmare to end?". It happens more often than not.
Even on the writing projects that I work on - I can't wait to start it. I think the initial excitement drives this. But after a couple of days, I just can't wait to finish it and never look at it again.
It's a shiny new thing you like thinking about
Each new project has a life cycle - it starts, you do something and then it ends. The first phase of the project is like a carnival. It's exciting, colorful and it's fun. We have so many expectations for it, and even if we set moderate expectations we still do expect - what it could be?
But I think the most important phase we miss is the before phase.
The Before phase
This phase is crucial for a project just as the ending. This is where the pre-expectations begin. Our thoughts go wild with the possibility of what we can create and what the rewards will be. It is so high, that it puts us on cloud nine. And with these overinflated expectations, we go and start working on the project. Uncertainty is a double-edged sword - it can keep you in check or it can let you run wild. Projects are uncertain most of the time.
The Illusion of Progress
As we progress through the project, the overinflated exceptions mask the realities of what we are doing. Finishing the initial parts of the project helps inflate our expectations even more.
It makes us think - "Okay, it's almost done" even though in reality it is far from done.
When I start out on a new project, I set the outline with my overinflated expectations, and then I start tackling the tasks one by one but they're just the blueprints. The structure is complete but not the interior. I leave it to the end thinking well it's a small thing I'll do it later. Then I move on to a different task and it repeats.
This leads to a false sense of progress. You could also attribute it to poor project planning but let's be real - we humans aren't very good at anticipating the future. We're usually wired to take things as they come.
Exponential decay curve - The rise of the dread
As with anything, everything that goes up eventually comes down. Not crashing all at once, but slowly so that we don't feel the dread. It is akin to a venomous snake whose venom moves slowly through our body, paralyzing us and then eventually killing us.
It's exhausting
As we near the end of the project, we're relieved that it's almost over but in reality, it's just a trick our brain plays on us. So we drag ourselves with a half heart just to finish one task at a time.
Pressures rising
It is also common to experience pressure if you work in a team. With the deadline nearing there's still a lot to be done. It is important to manage expectations.
If you work by yourself, then that's another story. You put yourself down and imposter syndrome kicks in and tells you, you aren't good enough.
Misjudging the actual time
The real reason all of this happens is because we're fallible and we misjudge the time it takes to complete something. This is normal, if you feel bad about it then don't. Over time, as you get better at managing projects, you start becoming more realistic. That doesn't mean you won't make the same mistake again but the chances will reduce if the variables are same, that is.
We get bored with the mundane
Lots of finishing last tasks are mundane since the excitement of working on a new thing fades away and once you've done everything you've wanted to do, the little bits you thought were not priority start biting you in the ass.
If you're working on a software project, then it's most likely polish, seeing if the animations work, triple-checking the copy, etc. If you're working on a book, that could be proofreading, checking facts, or going back and forth on the graphics. Rinse and repeat!
The Student Syndrome or Planned Procrastination
Another reason why it becomes harder is that the last 10% of the project seems negligible and we assume it's easy so we put it back. We procrastinate on the final tasks. This has a technical term it's called "Student syndrome".
You've done this when you were in school, I know I have. But this not only applies to students but it is observed everywhere.
The most common reasons for this are
- Poor time management skills
- perfectionism
- fear of failure.
- burnout
The Imposter syndrome, anxiety and fear of failure
Sometimes all of those things combined with other things can lead to self-sabotage. Not conscienceless but usually it happens without you knowing it.
90% of people experience imposter syndrome (add research here) in the workplace, Most common in (X gender), so if you are X you're more likely to drag on a project.
Why does imposter syndrome complete the end of the project?
It's mostly just expectations, pre-completion anxiety, and also fear of failure. We're wired to fear failure because it's bad. It's conditioned and instilled in us to always want to succeed. But the thought of failure always creeps in and consumes us. The racing thoughts then submit to our own fears.
Athletes face this a lot. You've seen videos where a runner looks back at his competitor which slows him down, leading to a loss? That's fear of failure and anxiety creeping in.
Tip: Be like Forest Gump. Just run, do your own thing.
The Polish
Most think starting a project or the middle of the project is the hardest. But usually, it's the polish. Everything that is created, must be assured of quality and broken things must be patched up. It must be tested and re-tested until each little detail is good.
Why is polishing hard though?
It's hard because we want our work to be good and for anything to be good, it must be without cracks. I struggle with this part a lot. I get excited when working on something new and I give my all initially. But when the time for polish comes, I feel dread and procrastinate. I fear that I'm not good enough.
One way to overcome this is to iterate slowly. It's usually easier to do this with software products but much harder with something that is a physical item.
It's actually Never Ending
One thing you realize when you start polishing something is that it never ends. I mean it eventually does but you get what I'm saying. The dread of doing something you don't like exponentially expands our perception of time. It feels like a lifetime. It slows down time, like in Interstellar where 7 years passed on Earth when only an hour passed on the water planet.
(Look into research maybe - why polishing something is difficult)
90/10 rule
You've probably come across the 80/20 rule, but let me introduce you to its sister the - 90/10 rule. It is the same as Pareto principal but it is adapted to the context of project management.
The rule states that "A rule that states that 90% of the work needed to finish a project can be done in 10% of the time, but the final 10% push can take up 90% of the timeline."
(need more research here)
So this is a well-known thing, if you feel the dread or you're beating yourself up too often. Don't worry, we're all in the same boat.
The end
To be written...