the time it takes
It's always longer than we think
It’s Friday - I hope you lose track of time doing something fun this weekend. ~JRC
We’ve all been here: "That'll take just a few minutes."
And then, an hour later, we're still at it, frantically trying to complete the task.
It's so common that we often joke about projects that run overtime. But this begs the question: if we know things take longer than we first imagine, why can't we learn to estimate better?
For me, it's a combination of things ranging from inexperience to having too much fun. And while some reasons are avoidable, some are inevitable. And all mean more time making for the maker.
First off, some people can estimate project time reasonably. We call these nearly god-like characters experts. Master carpenters, trusted technicians, esteemed mechanics - we cherish them all. And when we go to these specialists, we know we'll get an accurate estimate, in both cost and time. They do so because they have invested the years to learn - they've earned their expertise.
Me? I'm a classic Jack-of-all-trades guy. I dabble in so many different maker skills that I seldom master any one area. For example, I am a capable woodworker but not a carpenter. And I tinker in electronics, but I am far from an engineer. And so it goes - from leathercraft to welding, I produce, and I can say I often produce well - but at a cost. And that cost is most usually time.
Often, I know what to do and how to do it, which leads me to think a project will go quickly. But I forget that setting up takes longer when I'm rusty. I know how to use my table saw well, for example, but if I go as little as a week without using it, I am slow to get started. Why? It's a dangerous tool, and the cost of a mistake can mean more than a few lost minutes. So I check, check again, and then triple-check settings to ensure I am safe and accurate. Similar episodes abound in my making. Each time, I lose precious minutes getting back up to speed.
Other times I lose time because I am anything but careful. Yes, I admit it - the embarrassing "rushed job" where I violate the primary law of making. Measure twice, cut once? Who needs that?!
We all do, it turns out.
I most often neglect this safeguard when I’m most comfortable with a task - and rushed. Instead of double-checking, I cross my fingers and then go for it, hoping to save a few seconds. Sometimes it works. As often, it doesn't. And when it doesn't, it's a total time suck. Not only do I lose time with the first attempt, but also with its do-over. And if it's extra bad, I have to get a replacement piece and start over. Ouch.
Speaking of getting more materials, this is yet another reason my projects take longer than expected - not having everything I need. Yes, I plan like mad, but it seems I’m always missing one or two things. And sometimes more.
On a recent build, I was experimenting as the project evolved to its final state. So it was hard to plan for everything. With each new step, I searched my stocks for screws I didn't have. I must have ordered a dozen new sizes before I finished. Sure, I now have extras and added them to my collection. But I expect the next build will need something entirely different than what I have, as always. And so it goes.
One last reason builds go longer than expected - getting lost in the fun of making.
We call it the zone - or the flow - where we lose track of time as we embrace our creativity. Any artistic type will tell you it is beautiful to be in the flow. But if we are working on a deadline - and have multiple projects in the works - it can be a dangerous place to dwell.
I've been in the flow recently and, as expected, lost myself in the work. There, emersed in the flow, I spent twelve hours or more in the shop for days on end, happily working away on a contract build. It was new and engaging work, so I loved what I was doing and got lost in exploring. But nearing completion, I realized how many other things I had been neglecting. And then I had to buckle down on these and play catch-up.
As such, the flow can be a blessing and a curse for makers.
There you have it - a few of my top reasons (excuses?) for being so poor at judging job times. How about you? Are you always right in your estimations, or do you suffer from the same challenges as me? Perhaps it’s something else entirely that eats up your seconds? Let me know in the comments.
Until next time.
JRC
I have a lot of time to work things out on most projects. I wish we could all have enough time.
For me, and particularly when coming up with something new, it’s the UnkUnks that most add to my schedule overruns. The Unknown Unknowns…the things I didn’t even know I didn’t know. The only mitigation that helps here when you suspect there will be UnkUnks in the works is to plan and execute simultaneously…to discover them as quickly as possible. Even then, scheduling invention is always full of uncertainty.