Celebrate the small wins.

We all know the feeling. You're sitting there, watching the clock tick closer to your deadline, and you start to panic—like if you don't get that report done in time, no one will ever respect you again. And then… you do it! You finish your report and send it with a few minutes to spare.

And then what happens?

It feels like nothing. You've already moved on because something new on your plate demands your attention. But did you notice how much easier it was to get through this time?

That's because as soon as we start thinking about our long-term goals, we stop experiencing the satisfaction of short-term accomplishments. And when we stop experiencing those little wins, we start getting overwhelmed by big tasks like reports, presentations, grant proposals, or whatever else is on the horizon for us in terms of our careers.
 
So how do we get around this? How can we make sure our short-term accomplishments don't feel so insignificant? The key is to focus on process rather than outcome: instead of worrying about whether or not someone will read your report (and whether or not you'll be judged based on its contents), focus instead on how you prepared for it. Did you do your research? Did you write a clear, concise outline? Did you write in a way that was easy to follow and understand?

By focusing on these questions, we can take a step back from the stress of being judged and instead enjoy the process of creating something.