Tackling overwhelming tasks- my top tip
Throughout your studies, you will experience many things that seem so daunting that it would be easier in the short term to give up. Chances are that you have a few in mind now, knowing deep down that facing them head on will be worth it in the end.
I’ve experienced this more times than I can count. Imagine if I’d have taken the easy way out? I wouldn’t be qualified now. Thing is, these things don't just occur during studies or training, you will continue to face them throughout your career. If you don't, you won't be challenging yourself, and we know that where there's no challenge, there's no growth.
So if we know we may be experiencing this for a long time to come, and it is inevitable that we will have to face up to our fears, how do we overcome them? Let me use the most recent personal example that I have to explain.
Creating In-house Potter was extremely daunting for me. So daunting in fact, that I sat on the idea for over a year, and found many excuses for it: ‘I don’t like posting much online.’ ‘I won’t have the time.’ 'Sharing my journey won't be helpful.' These may sound silly to you, just as they do to me now, but the fact is that these excuses stopped me from pushing forward. It is so easy to look back and wonder what the big deal was, but when you are actually experiencing it, it can feel like the biggest issue in the world.
I now know that the excuses I relied upon for so long came from fear. Fear of failure and what people will think. Once you unravel your excuses too, I bet that you will come to the same conclusion. Should we let trivial fears such as these stop us from helping others? Absolutely not, but it doesn't stop them from having a negative effect.
It doesn't matter what you are going through, it may seem the smallest thing to another but to you it may be huge. It also doesn't matter that someone else may take it in their stride, now is not a time for comparison. Be kind to yourself!
Because I’ve been there, I’m not going to make it seem like overcoming these things is easy. It isn't easy, but it may be easier than you think, and I have a method for making it so.
The best way to overcome overwhelming tasks is to take teeny tiny steps.
I finally created the IHP insta account when on holiday. Easy. I was relaxed and it took 2 minutes. The account stayed dormant for a while whilst I worked up to writing content. Don't jump ahead though, tiny steps remember! I didn't post this content straight away, it stayed in my notes for a little longer. Once I worked up to it, I began to publish posts, remaining anonymous for a while. (Some of you will remember this time!)
Next up, I subtly revealed my name through the All About Law article I wrote, before sharing a contextual image of myself. You get the picture. These small steps were calculated and planned, all in the aim of working up to my goal. Before I knew it, I'd broadcasted my entire blog on LinkedIn 2 days before writing this post.
You may ask me if I feel embarrassed writing this when it may seem so trivial to some. It's just a blog and an instagram page, what's the big deal? You're a qualified lawyer!
The answer is no, I'm not embarrassed. I learnt early on that the best lawyers leave their ego at the door. Being true to yourself is much more important than acting up to a false persona.
By conquering my fears using tiny steps, I now help students daily. I feel extremely rewarded, and my heart is full knowing that I'm making a small difference.
If you have had something in mind whilst reading this, whether it is nerves about an event, presentation or something completely unrelated, here is your sign to take that first tiny step. Write it down, complete it and tick it off. You'll soon be moving on to the next, more challenging task and reaping rewards in the process.