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Consider if it's worth it to even try -

Whatever you’re deciding to do in terms of your project, you should carefully analyze the cost-benefit. This means working out whether it’s worth your time to do it yourself. If you’re paid minimum wage, for instance, then it might be worth painting the fence yourself.

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Time frame -

Plan a project out. Some might take weeks. If you don’t know how long it will take, then time can drag on. You also won’t know if the project is worth doing.

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Envision how it will be when it's done -

If you’re clear about what you want then one of the best things to do is try to envision and document as clearly as possible what the goal is.

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SMART goals -

Instead of imagining vaguely what the desired outcome is, get serious and specific about it. Set SMART goals. These are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely.

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Be specific -

For example, if you’re doing a landscape painting of nature, you might want to decide whether it’s a woods or ocean view.

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What if it rains? -

Although you plan the entire project ahead, you should also be aware that things will likely change. For instance, a rainy day can delay an outdoors project.

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Don't be afraid to ask -

Project planning isn’t just a timeline–it includes everything that might be relevant to the project down the line. You might, for example, want to plan by asking around for some advice.

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Delegating tasks -

Where collaboration is possible, don't feel like you have to take everything on yourself. Delegate tasks!

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The danger of bias -

Try to be unbiased and accurate in your estimation of the cost and time it will take to complete a project. The most common thing is that people (wishfully) underestimate these factors.

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Stress and quitting -

This is when projects become stressful to finish and sometimes don’t get finished at all. As things get more expensive and time keeps rolling on, it gets a little bit disheartening.

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Plan for the worst -

Plan for the worst and hope for the best. You might have planned to completely paint the garage in your two-week holiday from work, but what if it rains for seven days?

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The need for a dynamic plan -

This is why your plan needs to be dynamic. You will need to be able to roll with the punches and understand that things change and plans change.

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Mind frame -

The previous point is the difference between feeling miserable and beaten down by underperformance or feeling satisfied that progress is being made even though unpredictable circumstances presented themselves.

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Get equipped earlier rather than later -

If there’s a project being done and you have the option to acquire all the supplies that you will need long before, then it’s usually the best thing to do.

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Put pen to paper -

Make a list. What do you need? How much will it cost? While you have pen to paper, start mapping out a project timeline.

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Set a start date -

Set a start date for the project. It’s all good and well to have a great plan drawn up, but often the plans are pushed forward over and over again.

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The sunk cost fallacy -

A very difficult task to come to terms with is canceling a project once it already begins. Behavioral economics has a term for the difficulty we experience with cutting our losses: the sunk cost fallacy.

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Finishing the job -

The sunk cost fallacy is "a greater tendency to continue an endeavor once an investment in money, effort or time has been made." It’s our wanting to “finish the job” even when finishing the job makes no sense any longer.

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When the problem grows -

We might realize that the project we took on to, for example, complete the task of fixing a leak is much more complicated than we thought. But by then we might be in deep, and reluctant to contact a professional.

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Time and energy -

This is often the case in homes where a lot of time, money, effort, and energy are wasted.

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Learning and moving forward -

Instead of viewing every setback as a failure, treat it as an opportunity to learn.

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The danger of perfectionism -

Perfectionism is something that usually holds people back. It’s why a project becomes five times as long as it ought to be. It’s not to be expected or strived for.

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Avoid multitasking -

Scheduling time to work on a project should be done task by task. Multitasking is to be avoided at all costs because it reduces productivity hugely.

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Reward yourself -

Finishing any project that would require you apply yourself suggests that it requires effort. Don’t forget to reward yourself for the effort you apply.

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Set limits -

Set yourself limits in terms of the time and energy you spend as well as the amount of money. It’s easy to go over your budget. It’s also easy to overextend yourself at the beginning of a project.

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Be honest about your abilities -

Get real about strengths and weaknesses. What mistakes did you make in the past with projects? Did you quit for three months? How can you avoid that happening again in the future?

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Ask for help -

If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask for it. Many DIY projects end in injury, arguments, or frustration because someone insists on carrying on.

Sources: (Wrike)

See also: The most popular hobby ideas for seniors

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