We’ve all been there before. You’ve got a big project or task in front of you that feels totally overwhelming. Where do you even start? How do you get from point A to completed project when the path between feels so murky?

The answer is in the title of this blog post – chunk it up! Breaking large, intimidating projects into smaller, more manageable pieces is an incredibly effective way to boost your productivity and get things done. Keep reading for stories, examples and actionable tips on how to implement this strategy in your own life.

A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step

When I was in graduate schools, I had to write a 20 page research paper for my capstone project. I had known about this looming assignment for months, but had barely even begun thinking about potential topics when it came time to actually start writing.

Staring down the blank word document on my computer screen, 20 pages felt like an impossible feat. The anxiety of starting such a large project from scratch paralyzed me from making any progress at all. Sound familiar?

Finally, I asked my professor for advice. She told me to try chunking it up – break the 20 pages down into smaller milestones and tackle just one milestone at a time. I decided I would start by writing just the first two pages of background info and introductory remarks.

Once I had knocked those two pages out, the paper didn’t feel quite so monumental anymore. I used the momentum from finishing that first chunk to write two more pages outlining my thesis and main points. Before I knew it, I had finished four pages – 20% of my assignment!

I ended up using this chunking strategy for the rest of the paper, setting page count goals for myself each time I sat down to work – two more pages here, another three pages there. Breaking it down into smaller pieces helped me maintain focus without getting overwhelmed or distracted.

I finished my 20 page paper a full week before the due date! It was so much more manageable when I viewed it as several small milestones instead of one giant, amorphous task. Chunking up big assignments has served me well in so many areas of life since my capstone paper.

Clean Your Garden…One Corner at a Time

We all know we should keep our gardens clean, remove weeds, and put away dry leaves. But when your garden is a disaster, trying to tackle it all at once is demoralizing.

Last month, our garden was incredibly messy, with weeds everywhere and grass almost 2 feet high. I knew I needed to clean it, but the giant mess made me too overwhelmed, so I avoided it.

Finally, I committed to cleaning one small section each day. The first day, I trimmed the grass in front of our house. The next day, I worked on the backyard, and the following day, I removed weeds one corner at a time.

Within a week, my garden looked presentable, and I barely felt overwhelmed! Chunking the massive cleaning task into smaller daily tasks made it manageable physically and mentally.

Mmm…Chunky Monkey

Have a major sweet tooth? Making a batch of cookies feels a lot less intimidating when you break it down into smaller steps. First, gather all the necessary ingredients and tools – eggs, butter, sugar, flour, mixing bowls, etc. Next, combine the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another.

Once your ingredients are prepped, start mixing everything together one chunk at a time. First the wet into the dry, then add the chocolate chunks, then any nuts or flavors you want. Scoop dough onto the pans and slide into the hot oven. Take on each step slowly and the next thing you know, you’ll come out of the kitchen with delicious freshly baked cookies!

Chunk It Up In Your Life

No matter what kind of big, intimidating project you’re facing down, try applying this chunking method to make it less overwhelming. Here are some tips:

• Clearly define the overall goal/project. Write this down to focus your efforts.
• Break the goal down into smaller chunks or milestones. These should each represent tangible progress towards the overall goal.
• Assign deadlines to each chunk. Hold yourself accountable to completing them one step at a time.
• Reward yourself when you complete each milestone! Recognize your progress.
• Maintain momentum by immediately moving on to the next chunk. Don’t lose focus between pieces.
• If a chunk still seems too big, break it down further. Make pieces as small and manageable as needed.
• Focus only on the chunk at hand. Don’t get distracted thinking about the big picture.
• Check completed chunks off your list! This creates visual proof of progress.
• If you get stuck, re-assess and set a new actionable chunk towards your goal.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they laid each brick one by one. Any big, audacious goal can feel achievable when you take it step-by-step. Don’t let yourself get intimidated by the scope of the finish line. Just put one foot in front of the other until you get there!

With the chunking strategy in your toolbelt, you can tackle even the most monumental projects with confidence. Divide and conquer so you can spend less time fretting and more time feeling the satisfying sense of progress. Now get out there and start chunking up your next big goal! You’ve got this.