At the start of my career, there was always this thing that would happen towards the end of a project. It seemed like things got harder as the project was coming to a close and everyone’s workload would double overnight.
I call this the last 5% of the project.
I’ve been going head-to-head with the last 5% for years. As someone who is systems oriented, this seemed like a fun problem to try and solve. Only to be met with frustration.
No amount of planning, process, or procedure can save you from it. These things can make the last 5% feel less intense, but there’s no stopping it. It’s like all of the things that were not caught or thought about finally come to the surface at once.
If I had to put one thing above the rest that makes the last 5% easier, it would be alignment. Either team alignment or internal alignment (if you’re working on something solo).
I’ve boiled this concept down into a simple maxim to always remember.
The last 5% of the project is 95% of the work.
In other words, finishing a project is often harder than starting it. It serves as a gentle reminder that the real work is yet to come.
See you in the fray.