“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret to getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks and then starting on the first one.” – Mark Twain
So many people, myself included, get bogged down by analysis paralysis. You see a big problem and don’t know how to tackle it. It can be intimidating. But, what Mark Twain describes above, and how he describes it, is exactly how we should approach the situation.
Break this complex problem down into smaller, more manageable problems. Rank the new, smaller issues in order of importance. Pick what matters most and spend all of your energy concentrating on addressing that issue. After that is completed, move onto the next one.
The only caveat I would make here is for small tasks that will take you less than 5 minutes to get done. Knock out all tasks that take less than 5 minutes to start building momentum. You’ll get a few “wins” under your belt and build confidence. Just make sure that as soon as you’re done with these that you get back to work on the most important task, NOT the one that is easiest.
Don’t procrastinate on what needs to be done. If it is important, prioritize it. Do this and you’ll be able to more easily tackle the big problems.