David Smith

The transition back into working life after a break I always find challenging, so over the years I've developed a handful of "tricks" to help me get moving again.

One of which is my "Accomplish *One* Thing" rule, which helps me to start building up my working inertia again.

I wrote up my approach here in the hopes that it might help anyone else staring into the wide-open expanse of work and feeling rather daunted by it.

https://www.david-smith.org/blog/2025/01/10/accomplish-one-thing/

Accomplish One Thing - David Smith, Independent iOS Developer

Jan 10, 2025 at 1:41pmIvory for Mac
Show threadJoseph HumfreyJan 10, 2025

@_Davidsmith Love this! I’ll give it a try.

Sometimes when I have inertia issues, what’s often stopping me is that I’m simply not sure what to do next (or in this case first!), but I hadn’t yet consciously identified that as being a problem. I’m just procrastinating.

If I catch myself, and tell myself that “planning what to do next” is a useful and productive task in itself, then it feels easy, manageable, and can get me excited about task 2 😀

Show threadDavid SmithJan 10, 2025
@joethephish Exactly, what I've really consistently found is that it really doesn't matter what the first task is, just that it is _something_ to get moving again. Early into a cycle it is the movement that has the utility rather than the actual outcome of the task.
Show threadLeon CowleJan 10, 2025
@_Davidsmith I am a particular sufferer of the post-vacation blues. So I get it. I'm gonna try this “accomplish one thing” approach in future!
Show threadMichael SwansonJan 10, 2025
@_Davidsmith Great post and advice, David! I also find the return to be the best time to capture things that cause a reaction, like: "why am I doing ___ again?" Sadly, those reactions fade quickly, so they're precious.
Show threadCesar CavazosJan 11, 2025
@_Davidsmith great advice! I do the same thing the first days of the year. I write down things that need to be done and put a number to prioritize them. Then just do one, that’s it!