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There are just too many things to do in an average day. It seems like there's always some monster of a project or problem staring at you, and you have no idea how to handle it. The worst days are when the monster gets itself a posse, and they all come after you at once.

Then there's that certain type of person that always has everything under control. They always have time to get things done and then some. How do they do it all?

Different people have different methods of dealing with scenarios like this, but some methods work no matter who you are and what the project is. One of these anyone-can-implement-it methods is to break your projects down into manageable pieces.

Too many people allow themselves to fill their to-do list with large, rather vague projects. 'Clean the House.' How many of us have written that one down, only to have the house look just the same a week later? Or for businesses, something like, 'Increase Productivity.' These are too big. They allow too much room for wondering where to start. You'll find yourself staring at your cluttered house or office, mind blank, until you decide to go do something else.

Break down your project into actual tasks. For example when cleaning the house focus on what you need to do exactly. Schedule it out right down to a starting point. Start in the living room. Start with dusting. Then move on to picking things up from the floor, and so on. If you have to get really specific for yourself do it. Schedule dusting the lamp, then the table, and so on

While you are breaking these things up, write them down! I really can't stress that enough. If you try to keep your to-do list in your head, all the little pieces will eventually conglomerate themselves back into 'Clean the House' and you'll be right back where you started.

The best part about breaking a project down is that you can feel a sense of accomplishment every time you get a few things done. While you might not have cleaned the entire house you did get the living room done. Plus, when you break things down it helps you not try to multitask. Multitasking is good in a sense but usually more a distraction.

By breaking down your projects into small, manageable pieces that provide you with a very clear starting point, you increase your chances of getting your projects done. You also boost your moral by accomplishing lots of little things that amount to big things. It's way better than not getting anything done at all because the monster and his posse ate you alive.