You were excited at the start. You made a folder. Maybe a doc. Maybe a rough first version. Then life happened. Weeks passed. Then months. Now the project just sits there, quietly judging you.
This is normal. Almost everyone has at least one side project like this.
The good news is that unfinished projects usually stall for the same few reasons. And once you fix those, finishing becomes much easier.
Why Side Projects Get Stuck
Most projects do not fail because you are lazy. They fail because they get too big, too vague, or too easy to avoid.
Sometimes the idea grows until it feels overwhelming. Sometimes a newer idea steals your attention. And often, there is no deadline, so the project keeps getting pushed to “later.”
Another big one is this. You sit down, open your laptop, and think, “What am I even supposed to do next?” That feeling alone can stop you.
Step 1: Decide What “Done” Means
Before doing anything else, decide what finished actually looks like.
Not the perfect version. Not the dream version. Just the smallest version that counts.
Ask yourself, “What is the simplest form of this project that I could finish and walk away from?” Write that down. One or two sentences.
If “done” feels fuzzy, the project is too big.
Step 2: Break It Into Very Small Pieces
“Work on the project” is not a real task. It’s a stress sentence.
Break the project down into small steps. Steps so small that you can complete one in less than an hour.
For example:
- Write a rough outline.
- Fix one page.
- Research one thing.
Small steps will make it easier to start. And once you start, momentum will sneak in.
Step 3: Pick a Deadline
Without a deadline, your project will always lose to everything else.
Choose a realistic date. Write it down. Put it on your calendar. Tell one person if that helps.
Even a fake deadline gives your brain something to aim at.
Step 4: Protect a Little Time
Waiting until you “feel like it” usually means nothing happens.
Instead, pick a small block of time and protect it. Even 30 minutes, two or three times a week, adds up.
You might find yourself surprised by how much progress happens when the time is already decided.
Step 5: Stop Starting New Things
New ideas are exciting. Old projects are quiet and demanding.
When a new idea pops up, write it down. Then go back to what you are finishing now. Promise yourself you can return to it later.
One finished project is worth more than five exciting starts.
Step 6: Lower the Bar
Your project does not need to be amazing. It just needs to be done.
Imagine finishing the messy version. Imagine closing the folder and knowing it is complete. That feeling is better than perfect.
Finish first. Improve later, if you even want to.
Finishing a side project changes how you see yourself. You stop being someone who only starts things. You become someone who finishes.
And that confidence carries into everything else.
Sources:
Renato Sugimoto – “How I Beat Procrastination on My Side Project,” Apr 2025.
Scott H. Young – “The Key to Motivation: Forget Goals, Focus on Projects.”
Web Highlights – “5 Reasons Why Side Projects Never Get Finished,” Jul 2023.
JavaScript Plain English – “9 Tricks to Finally Get Your Side Projects Done,” Jan 2024.
Options to Grow – “4 Simple Ideas to Stop Endlessly Putting Off Projects You Don’t Like to Do.”