How do you stay on task on long jobs?

[NorthEndGal]

If you are the easily distracted type?

I know it's not an excuse, but over Christmas, with the rush of last minute making, and the fact we needed a dumping ground while the rest of the house was all Christmassy, my studio got destroyed .

I am trying so hard to get it back organized, but the truth is , it never has been.
Right from the start it was a crazy place.
I've been working on it for 3 days, and I'm running out of oomph.
I have been taking pictures to motivate myself along the way, and to document how bad it was, so I never ever let it get that way again.

The issue is, I'm 70-80% finished the job, and this is where I get side tracked. I dont want this to be another almost done thing, but it is soooo tedious, and the last stuff just seems too much
I know I just need to buckle down, the problem is making myself do it. I need to find a way to lock in or something
If you are someone who used to not finish things, that now does, what did you change?

Just to give an idea of the before and half way through

I break it up with other jobs and nice things to do.

So I'll spend a set amount of time or do a specific task (30 mins, finish this box or whatever) then I take a break to have a cup of coffee and make a phone call, then I do something different like some budgeting or reading, then I return to the task.

I know some people just carry on through and don't take breaks but that's never worked for me.

Good idea! I can get some jobs in the kitchen done, and come back in a bit

This is like me. I work my way round the house doing 70% of a job, each time stopping to do something nice or something else. I never get to 100% on anything and usually things start to get bad again and I go round doing it up to 70%. Therefore I never finish anything, ever. I wish I had some words of advice but need them myself.

I work well to rewards on big jobs too, so I might say "when I have finished it I can go get my nails done" or "when I have finished it I can sit down with a film and a tub of icecream" It helps me if it's something I have to go out and get so it gives me a break and a reward at the end but it doesn't have to be.

Works well with the kids too- eg. Tidy your bedroom and we can go get a takeaway or when you've finished your homework you can go for a bike ride etc.

This sounds odd but I set the timer on my phone for, eg an hour and then crack on as hard as I can for that hour and then have a breather. I also listen to music as I go along.

Good luck! You're nearly there....!

Ok, I'm done for today, got another section finished
Maybe tomorrow I'll be done....

Thank you for the good ideas, the music thing is good to keep me going, as long as it's a playlist, and not something I keep picking , cause then I get distracted again

My mum used to call me Queen of the Dawdlers

How's it going @NorthEndGal ?

I have cleaned and tidied the whole entire house everything but a couple of bag for life's full of paperwork- so that's my next "big job"
I went with the "timer" method in the end to get it finished

Sounds like you have made great strides @Bumblebee39 !
I have been keeping at it, and now have less than 5% to go!

That's impressive @NorthEndGal well done you