Every project, whether it be launching a company or remodeling a home, can be broken down into processes. We can separate these processes into minute detail, such as "laying down a tile". This is called chunking down. We can also do the opposite and group of bunch of processes into a larger chunk such as "remodeling the kitchen".
Both chunking up and chunking down have their advantages.
The most important concept to understand is that the way we chunk an activity has a significant effect on our motivation towards completing that activity.
Let me explain by expanding on the remodeling example.
Which one would seem more overwhelming A or B?
A: I need to hire a general contractor to remodel the home.
B) I need to pick the color of the tiles, then I have to consult with my friends on paint choices, then I have to go online and look for the best shower heads, then I have to find an electrician, etc. etc. etc.
Of course, as I mentioned, chunking down has many benefits. For example, in the case of remodeling a home one can save a lot of money by chunking down.
It is important to note, however, that chunking up is a great method when considering how to fill out the roles in a new company. After all, if you start to think of all the accounting and bookkeeping work that must go on in a company it can start to feel overwhelming. However, all these issues can be fixed by doing the single task of hiring an accountant/bookkeeper.
The lowest hanging fruit for any company is to chunk up any activity that doesn't bring in revenue. After that, the next available opportunity is chunking up any activity that is not a competitive advantage, and so on..
It is amazing how achievable a project can look once it is chunked up.
P.S. Don't miss an important post! Sign up to receive this blog by email!
02
