Have you ever had an idea for something that sparked your interest? Most individuals have, and you may have considered it once or twice in your life.
Unfortunately, when we consider starting on an idea and developing it into a passion project, we are confronted with the challenge of having limited time to complete it. There are so many things we need to get done and so little time to do them in.
What about your work, family, friends, sleeping, eating, and all the other things you have to do? Where are you going to get the time to work on this project?
Before we can decide how to manage the activity side of the time management equation, we must first define a passion project.
What Is a Passion Project?
A passion project is anything you want to accomplish not for money or profit, but for the sake of curiosity and pleasure. The benefit of passion projects is that they help you grow your talents and expand your imagination. They provide you with something to be enthused about and almost always provide you with the satisfaction of fulfillment.
Not only that, but they can also be used to unwind at the conclusion of a long day or week. Passion projects can temporarily transfer our minds, which can be a type of relaxation.
Here Are a Few Project Ideas That Might Stir Your Creativity:
– Making a model railway in your attic
– Learning to dance in order to perform at an event
– Rebuilding an ancient automobile
– Making a book
– Garden or backyard landscaping
– How to Become a Beekeeper
– restoring an antique cuckoo clock
– Making your own family tree
– Making a film about your most recent family vacation
– Learning to cook, paint, draw, and craft items out of leather, among other things
The possibilities are endless. So, the question is, what would you like to do but have never considered making a reality?
How to Start a Passion Project?
The time management equation has two components: time and activity.
The issue is that the time component of the equation is fixed and cannot be altered. There are only 24 hours in a day, and we can only accomplish so much. Everything must be crammed in or otherwise, it will overlap the next day, leaving our activities incomplete.
The good news is that you can modify the activity side of the equation. And that is where we can concentrate and have more flexibility in our schedule.
1. Commit to Seeing This Project Through to the End
Once you've decided what you want to achieve and how you're going to do it, the next step is to commit to yourself. Commit to seeing this through and doing whatever it takes to complete it.
Everything will flow from that point of view. Without it, you will give up the moment things become difficult. But everything important in life is difficult at times.
BEEKEEPING
If you want to be a beekeeper, you will be stung, and it will not be a pleasant experience. You will also most likely lose a hive.
These disappointments can be frustrating, but the important thing to remember is that you will endure through the difficult and unpleasant times. Be prepared for setbacks and regard them as opportunities to learn.
Most beekeepers, for example, are stung because they fail to completely close their cover-alls. You will only make that error once, according to experienced beekeepers. See? To get experience in something, you must first engage in it.
2. Create a Short-Term, Achievable Goal
The danger of starting a passion project is that you will most likely have no ultimate objective in mind. The problem with this open-ended project is that you will eventually cease doing anything to drive it ahead. This is when having a short-term, attainable goal in mind comes in handy.
CAR RESTORATION
As an example, consider refurbishing an antique classic car. You could set a goal of having the automobile entirely stripped of all removable parts by the end of the summer for something like this. After that, you can see the original chassis and decide on the next aim. This could include learning to weld or disassemble an engine.
As you complete each target, your motivation and determination to complete the project will increase. All you have to consider is the following move. Make that a goal and set a date for it.
MAKING CLOTHES
For example, learning to sew garments may have a short-term aim of learning how to sew a t-shirt. A more difficult goal could be to knit a short-sleeved jumper.
As you achieve each objective, you will be inundated with motivation to keep going and learn new skills. Soon, you'll be so proficient that you'll be able to run your own tiny workshop.
The nice thing about creating short-term objectives is that while you work towards them, you are learning new skills and processes that will help you achieve the next goal.
3. The Time Factor
This is possibly the most difficult aspect of working on personal projects.
Whatever you want to do in life will require time. There is no getting around that. These cannot be left to chance. If you aren't working on your passion project, you will be doing something else. That, of course, maybe something constructive, or it could not be.
Consider this: two hours spent watching TV is two hours you did not spend on your passion project. Similarly, every hour you spend lying in bed on a Sunday morning is an hour you did not spend working on your passion project.
BUILDING AIRPLANE MODELS
If your passion project is building model airplanes, there will always be time for other activities. You must let the airframe to dry after you have glued it together or painted the fuselage. You can then relax.
BLOCKING YOUR TIME
Finding precise timetables for specific occasions in your life is the concept of blocking time. You must first open your calendar and set aside time for this. For instance, it may be:
– Date night with your significant other
– Time spent with your children
– Exercise
– Watching your favorite television shows
– Your hobby project
If you want to work out five times a week, you must schedule five hours per week. Every weeknight from 6 to 7 p.m., set aside time for exercise. Similarly, if you want to make progress on your passion project, you must schedule time for it in your calendar.
That may be every Saturday morning or every Tuesday and Thursday evening. Fix it once you've selected when to work on your project. Inform everyone that you will be unavailable at that time.
It is now your turn to work on your project.
4. Plan Your Steps
Break down the steps of your passion project into milestones. There are measures that must be taken in order to achieve a specific goal. There is no one-way ticket to completion.
We have to take every level in school before we can graduate. At work, we must begin at the bottom before we can ever consider becoming CEO. This is analogous to having a side project.
LANDSCAPING
If your passion project is to landscape your garden, the initial stage of the project could be to create some plans. You will have completed the first milestone once you have completed the plans.
The next step could be to divide your garden into sections and remove anything you don't want. You can go to the next level once the garden has been stripped and is ready to work on.
This method of breaking down your project motivates you. There is development to be seen, and a timetable is in place. Once each milestone has been met, you can choose the next milestone.
When it comes to landscaping your garden, you must be aware of the changing seasons and when it is best to grow your plants. You may spend the winter constructing patios and walls in preparation for the spring planting season.
Final Thoughts
Keep these four factors in mind while you plan your passion project. Always remember to segment your time so that you can appreciate your passion project more.
Having a passion project will add color to your life and help you de-stress after a long day. But that doesn't imply you should ignore the other aspects of your life. We have families, friends, jobs, and other responsibilities.
When starting a passion project, the most critical factor to consider is time. Because we can't modify that, the management equation's activity should be adjusted. Certainly, there are other activities that might be considered a passion project while yet providing the same happiness and rest that we all want.
After all, is said and done, perhaps you can now embark on a new passion project!
