Tips to Avoid Frustration – Part I
Success can be defined in many ways and frustration will be experienced on most of the paths to get there. But you can avoid some of that frustration by planning well. In theory, that sentiment makes perfect sense. In practice, we often get distracted by the excitement of strategizing a new business idea or implementing a new concept. And then — poof!— there goes the plan.
I recently experienced this first hand while creating a new version of a website. Like most thoughtful strategists, I created a site map, design sketches and web copy in separate documents. I then went ahead and started the graphic design elements and picked out a template to customize. In customizing the template, I forgot the most essential rule in working with technology: BACK UP YOUR FILES. I got so excited about the changes, I started doing them all online and then one little piece of code got corrupted and I couldn’t fix it (couldn’t find it really) and all was lost. Luckily most of my text and images were saved on my desktop, and it was honestly quicker for me to repeat an entire days work than go crazy trying to restore an entire, unfinished website off the server.
My grandfather was a highly intelligent, though slightly quirky man, who made his children and grandchildren recite adages as lessons to live by. I’m going to end with one of the simpler ones that stuck with me:
“Plan your work and work your plan.”