Success isn’t measured by what you start but by what you finish. Here are 3 things that have helped me to get better at finishing things:

1) Choose tasks and projects you know you can finish

Whenever possible, choose tasks you’ve done before or that you know you have the talent, time, and resources to complete. Delegate everything else, unless it’s something you want to learn how to do.

2) Break up big projects and tasks into smaller parts

Preparing for trial is a big project. Break it up into smaller parts: make a list of evidence, compile research, and make a list of parties or witnesses to interview.

Too big? Break up each part into even smaller parts, things you can do in a few minutes, an hour, or today. Finish a chapter, not the book. Finish a page, not the chapter.

The smaller the parts, the more parts you’ll finish. Each time you finish something, you’ll feel good and want to repeat that feeling by doing more.

3) Do one thing at a time until you finish it

Single-task. Focus. Get rid of distractions and interruptions and keep at it until the task is done or you have taken it as far as you can reasonably go.

One more thing. As you finish a project or a part thereof, reward yourself. Get another cup of coffee, watch a video, read a chapter in a novel, or take the afternoon off. It doesn’t have to be much, just something that you can look forward to, enjoy, and feel good about getting things done.

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Abraham Lincoln famously said that if he has six hours to chop down a tree, he would spend four hours sharpening the ax. Or something like that. His point, of course, was that taking time to prepare before you do a job will make that job easier and the results better.

Okay, we all get that. But sometimes, we use “preparation” as an excuse to procrastinate.

“I’m not ready,” “I need to do more research,” “I need to think about it a bit longer,” we say. Too often, we never start.

Starting isn’t nearly as important as finishing but it’s a close second because you can’t complete a task you never start.

So start, before you’re ready. In the end, you’ll get more done.

If you make mistakes and have to fix them, if you mess up and have to start over, if you have to admit defeat and abandon the project, you’ll still get more done.

Now, I’m not saying don’t prepare. That would be silly. I’m saying don’t over-prepare. Wherever possible, do only as much preparation as you need to start.

Maybe you don’t need a week to do research before you begin. Maybe an hour will let you get rolling. If you find you need more, you can do more. But at that point, you’ll know more about the project and that might make the additional research go faster or be more useful.

Of course, you might find that one hour was all you needed.

If you have big, overwhelming projects, break them up into smaller parts, things you can do in a few minutes, an hour or two. Start those, and finish them, so you’ll be able to start and finish something else.

I saw a blog post this morning citing a study about productivity in the UK. The study found that most people (in the study at least) are productive just under three hours a day.

True or not, it got me thinking. What would happen if we intentionally chose to work no more than three hours? Hey, in comparison to a four-hour work week, three hours a day is positively Draconian.

Is it possible? If it were, how would it change your life? Your health? Your happiness?

If you work for someone, your first thought might be that you would get canned if you only showed up three hours a day. Fair enough. So suppose (for now) that you showed up for eight hours or whatever you’re contracted for, got all your work done in three hours and nobody knew what you did the rest of the day?

If you work for yourself, imagine getting your work done in three hours, after which you could go home.

I know, sounds crazy, but what if it’s not?

Assuming arguendo that it is possible, what would you have to do to make it so?

Humor me. Think about it. You might ultimately conclude that it’s not possible but what if by thinking about it and making some changes you could cut an hour a day off your schedule?

Could you use an extra five (or six) hours a week to do something else?

Today, I don’t have answers for you. Just questions, to get you thinking. What would you have to do to make this happen?

What could you cut out? What could you consolidate? What could you delegate? And what could you do more quickly if you had better skills, equipment, or experience?

Think! Plant the idea in your subconscious and let it go to work for you. Let it find some ways for you to get your work done in less time.

I know, some people reading this are thinking, “It won’t matter. If I get my work done in three hours, I’ll spend the rest of the day doing more work.”

Lawyers. You can’t argue with them. Or take away their hourly billing.

Leverage is the key to earning more and working less. Here’s the formula