How to figure out what you want to do for your next big project

Sometimes, a big project can take a lot of energy—and when it’s done, it can leave us feeling a little lost.

Planning. Photo by Megan McSweeney

The project could have taken months of work and we may have felt almost obsessed with it.

And afterward, we may be thinking, “What now?”

With the completion of such a big project, it is easy to feel a sense of uncertainty about what is next. This can be a good thing — it means you are ready to explore new ideas, stretch your abilities, and grow. The trick is finding the balance between resting and feeling anxious to move on to the next big thing.

So, what’s the balance?

Where do we draw the line between sufficiently overwhelmed and overwhelmingly anxious?

There are several methods and thinking frameworks to help dismantle these initial roadblocks.

Here’s my exact framework:

1. Categorize the pieces and segments of your life that you are interested in working on.
2. Write down all the potential goals, ideas, skills or hobbies you’d like to work on in those segments via a mind map.
3. Create timelines and…