What assembling a bathroom cabinet taught me about tackling big projects

What assembling a bathroom cabinet taught me about tackling big projects

Nine pages of instructions and lots of parts and screws! – It seems a bit overwhelming and even intimidating. Would I be able to get this accomplished? Frankly, at first I was tempted to return the product… And I might have done just that… had it not taken so long for it to arrive!

Then I remembered what I’d tell my clients: Start with the first step, and the rest will unfold. And so I did… I started by looking at all the parts and what they even were. Figured out which ones went into the first 2 steps. First hurdle taken and already feeling a bit more confident!

Soon, I encountered a challenge: I didn’t have all the tools I needed. This meant I had to wait a day to add a hammer and a different-size screwdriver to my working tools. This applies to any job: When we don’t have all the tools we need to execute a task, we will have to acquire them so we can complete the task successfully. For instance, if your team asks you to conduct complex analyses, you will likely need corresponding software that can help you achieve the requested results.

I know myself: I always want to do everything fast and get it done already. Like: why can it not be finished already? So, this time, I intentionally started very carefully in order not to make any mistakes. And I turned on some beautiful Congolese rumba music to add some groove to it.

But because I was assembling the furniture in the evening and the lighting wasn’t super bright, I missed a little detail: I inserted one of the shelves the wrong way around and only noticed when I’d already added the second lateral part and tightened the screws. Meaning, I had to go back and disassemble that part as well as the shelf itself.

What I’m really proud of is that I didn’t get upset with myself. Usually, I would because I don’t like doing things twice… Who does? But this time, I practiced immediate self-forgiveness and positive self-talk: “It’s part of the learning process, babe! Stay patient with yourself, do it again, the second time it’s faster anyway.” And it sure was! Lesson: It’s much more fun to keep the smile on my face and enjoy the music while I’m repeating the task.

Another challenge for me can be finishing something I started. I love to initiate new projects (it’s in my Human Design: I’m an Initiator (Manifestor)! And in fact, I’m not always meant to finish my projects. But in this case, I was! (Because no one would do it for me.) So I stuck with it, and I did it in one go! The piece now stands in my bathroom, ready to be filled with towels. Don’t you love it when you see the fruits of your labor, especially when you tackle something new? Here’s the lesson: While I’m not supposed to execute all my creative ideas, it can be extremely satisfying to carry out some projects from beginning to end… in one go.

Here's what I learned:

1.      When overwhelmed by the complexity or dimension of a task, start with the first step and go from there. It’s often half as difficult as it seems at first, and we’re capable of much more than we think.

2.      The right tools or lack thereof make or break the success of your project. When you realize that you don’t have the right tools, knowledge, or resources, go find them first. This will save you time later (and in some cases, stop you from giving up altogether.)

3.      Always move forward but without precipitating. Contemplate the task at hand: How do the individual pieces and tasks fit together? What’s the right order of execution? How do you need to sequence everything, so it actually makes sense as a whole?

4.      It’s ok to make mistakes. When you notice that something was not done correctly or not well enough, just go back and fix it. We all learn by doing.

5.      Depending on the project, we may need others to finish it, or we can do it ourselves. Reflect on what makes the most sense in each case. Factors to take into account are: What’s more profitable? What’s more practical? What saves time or money? How would you use the time freed up by delegating the task? Are you really the right person to do this or is there someone else who is better prepared? Is it something you want to experience; does it give you joy? Etc.

6.      We are incredibly creative and resourceful beings! We just gotta believe it.

Ever assembled a piece of furniture?