Don't be a Sissy Puss

Sisyphus was cursed to continuously roll a huge boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down for eternity.
Many students talk about the hardships for project work by using the metaphor - 'I feel as if I am pushing a boulder up a hill' or worse as in ' I am flogging a dead horse'. The credit crunch has given many organizations the opportunity to weed out the less productive members of staff and 'reward' those remaining with more work or 'stretch' projects as some like to call them. Now we are starting to see some green shoots finally emerging and volumes and other measures of work are increasing. The only thing not increasing seems to be the staffing numbers. If your project is heading uphill or you feel like any of the above metaphors then the first thing that you have to do is stop pushing (or if it is a hole that you are doing then stop digging!). You need to:

1. Clarify the exact benefit of the project with the sponsor (how and when will they get your invested time/money back) and get them to sign off on it.
2. Develop a story for the project based on the benefit (are you bricklaying, building a wall or building a catheral?)
3. Develop short bursts to achieve some deliverables and reward all of those involved with what they call a reward.
4. Seek help from others for the larger more complex pieces and use rewards or future favors as appropriate.

Maybe the boulder does have to go uphill - but you don't have to do it alone and with the tools that are near to you.

Step back, consider your catheral and remember that Rome wasn't built in a day...