Are we done yet? Isn’t that almost the next thing we think after we get over the excitement about starting something? This is true everywhere in our lives, not just our knitting. The time it takes to knit something means we have more time to be in the “are we done yet” segment of the project.
Done Yet? Syndrome
I am as guilty as anyone of the Done Yet syndrome. I’m always looking toward the end–then when I get there, I’m not sure I want it to be over. I put off the finishing. I don’t do those final things which will commit it to the done stack. What is wrong with this picture?
Get It Done Syndrome
When I was younger I made all my clothes. I could hardly wait to get them finished and on my back. I always picture myself hemming something as I was heading for the door. It was all about having the perfect outfit for every occasion. Perfect almost always meant no one had ever seen it. Okay I was hemming because I hate the hand sewing. The hemming was always left to the end. But I usually had an occasion–even if it was just that I wanted to look great for a dinner or lunch or something.
I could sew something up pretty quickly, so that kind of nearly instant gratification was relatively easy even though I was working and in design school. All I wanted was new fashion–it was my version of fast fashion!
When I was much younger we would go on family car trips. I think my dad liked to drive? We always went someplace like Mt. Rainer, or out in nature. I must have felt anticipation at the beginning, but I mostly remember asking “how much longer. When will we get home?” If we went somewhere more to my liking, it was still “how much longer?” Sitting in the car was never my idea of fun.
Get It Done And Enjoy the Process
I use deadlines, lists, goals, and internal and external commitments to keep my projects on track. Would it be better to focus on the pleasure of the process? I still want to get my projects done without undo delay. Can I reframe it to Enjoy It while Getting It Done?
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