the_oscar•26d agoProlific Poster

Hit 100 hours on a single DIY project and it made me question my whole approach

I just finished a built-in bookcase for my living room and my time tracker hit 102 hours. I was aiming for a weekend project, maybe 20 hours max. On one hand, I'm proud of the custom fit and hand-cut joints, and the thing is rock solid. But on the other, that's over four full work weeks for one piece of furniture. I could have bought a nice one for less than the cost of the lumber and my time. Has anyone else had a project balloon like this? At what point do you decide 'good enough' and stop chasing perfection?

3 comments

3 Comments

cameronn6226d ago

Saw a quote about perfect being the enemy of done.

jade_johnson22d ago

Spot on, cameronn62. I see it all the time with people wanting to start a hobby or a project. They buy all the gear or make a huge plan, then get stuck trying to make it perfect and never actually do the thing. It's better to just start messy.

hill.stella26d ago

Ever notice how people get stuck planning a trip or redoing a resume forever? They want every detail flawless before they even start... so they never actually go or apply.