Keep up your side project momentum
Photo by Vladimir Proskurovskiy on Unsplash
Picture the scene...it’s 2020 and you’ve had 10,000 hours stuck inside with nothing to do but to brainstorm your next creative venture. Some of us are ideas people and some of us are execution people, but we’re here to tell you - you can be both!
Taking an idea from concept stage to launch is a tough ride, especially if you’re juggling a 9-5 alongside it, but we’ve got some top tips from fellow side-projectors to help you keep up the momentum and achieve great things!
01: You have to be genuinely passionate about it
If you’re not, I would take a moment to consider why you’re working on this project, as it will most likely always feel like a burden if you’re not 100% behind the cause.
02: Tell your friends and family about it
Don’t keep it a secret, it’s all about accountability! Don’t be afraid to share your vision and be proud to keep them up to date with your progress. They’re also guaranteed to ask you about it annually over Christmas dinner at the very least!
03: Set yourself deadlines
It’s a good idea to give yourself a timeline for each element of your project. Even if you’re only aiming to achieve two small things per week, that’s totally cool, but one long list of tasks is going to seem overwhelming and therefore easy to put off. Don’t set yourself crazy deadlines though just for the hell of it, make them achievable.
04: Find a collaborator
A co-founder or collaborator for your project is a great way to keep things moving, especially if you can keep each other accountable. Why not schedule a weekly call to talk through that week’s progress and brainstorm the next week’s to dos.
05: Done is better than perfect
Nothing quite ruins the momentum like perfectionism. It’s easy to be disheartened and hit a wall if it’s not going 100% the way you would like, but note it down and revisit it another time, get cracking with another task on your to do list and keep up the pace.
06: Allocate a regular block of time to it
Get into the habit of working on your passion project. Set aside a period of time either daily or weekly to dedicate your attention and focus on pushing yourself forward so it just becomes a part of your routine.
Now go! Bring your side projects to fruition and don’t let another idea fall flat.
We’d love to stay up to date with your progress, so make sure you follow us and use the hashtag #TheArenaUK.