Constantly Double checking, Any ideas?

[shutterbug55]

I found myself constantly double checking and triple checking, and checking again my work before it goes out. I am in a situation where there is a lot change in the office right now such as, management, priorities, even where people are sitting. My project schedule has changed and several new projects are now on my plate. One of these projects has exploded into a political nightmare, with VP’s and Directors getting involved.

I know somewhere I messed something up, because these things don’t happen to the other project managers in our group. This thought has made me ultra cautious about doing anything at all. I find myself constantly re reading and checking my lists, the content and every last detail of the documents and even the emails and meeting requests. All this because I KNOW I have missed something and I will screw something up, that will cause even more problems and I will crash and burn.

1) Have you been in this situation?

2) How do you handle it?

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[Anonymous]

Hey Shutterbug. We seem to chat a lot. Similar lives and all.

First of all, why would you get extra work if your bosses are second guessing your work? Wouldn’t that be self-defeating (if the corp is a self)? Next, why do you think this doesn’t happen to other PMs?

I betcha that everyone makes errors. They just don’t feel as much about it as you do because you are wired to feel intensely.

My suggestion — stay ultra organized (which you have been doing), breathe, and keep your chin up.

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[Anonymous]

I triple check and still find mistakes when I go in to quadruple check. It is aggravating, frustrating, and this is where I find myself hating my adhd. This is extremely painful. I find this for sure and glastorm is right everyone makes mistakes we just feel it more.

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[Dennis]

I use extra eyes to check work. Kind of a buddy system.

Your use project management software I assume.

Have you tried using a punch list? I find it saves me over-checking a lot of work.

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[Anonymous]

What is a punch list?

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[billd]

punch list say as used by home builders, or other folks – a list of the little things needed to be done to wrap up or fix issues left with a project otherwise done.

Say you have a house or building built. The builder says “ok, it’s done”.

You do a walk-through, find odds and ends that need to be corrected or fixed, or something they left out, make a list, and that’s their “punch list”.

Like a check list, but you use it after the project, not during.

At least that’s my take.

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[Anonymous]

I double and triple check my work and sometimes still don’t find mistakes until after the document has been sent out. Like the other day when I typed a word as a placeholder in a spreadsheet and then forgot to delete it before sending it to the client (who probably won’t even look at it that closely, to be honest).

I hate that feeling of dread that I get when certain people read my reports because I know that if there are any mistakes, they will find them. And then I feel stupid for making them. I know I’m better than that, but what must they think of me? That I’m an idiot?

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[Anonymous]

@shutterbug55

Yes I have been in this situation and thousands of times before.

How did I handle it?

First I have to add I was doing this with paperwork.

What works for me is this: I check my work once or twice, I have a Apple computer, so I then highlight everything and click SPEECH. (I’m sure PC has that available someplace) The computer reads it back to me, if it sounds good great. I found that I could check my work many times then say to myself its GOOD. Only to pick it up a few days later and find it FULL of errors after coming back to it.

Now For stuff that had to be done right away: I found I had a problem with obsessing over the wrong things. So I stopped worrying about it so much and behold I was making less errors. Delegating things is a great solution too if you have the resources to do it. Create a master piece with your magic ADD/ADHD brain and have someone else correct errors of course that is if the nature of your work allows for that. For me it’s GRAMMAR. If I submit something and it has to be professional I NEVER proof myself I get others to do it. I’m now learning to delegate as much I as can, I create the machine and other people tighten the Nuts and Bolts for me. If there was a MAGIC pill for me this maybe it.

That my experience I hope you can use it.

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[Anonymous]

” I found that I could check my work many times then say to myself its GOOD. Only to pick it up a few days later and find it FULL of errors after coming back to it.”

This is so aggravating I can’t stand it. This has happened to me so many times. I will have to find the ‘speech’ program on my computer. I think this will really help.

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[billd]

brentitude – I was taught by a magazine editor – never proof your own work. You have looked at it so many times, to you it looks normal, and any change would seem wrong. That’s why we have editors and proof-readers do that work for us.

So in writing, you can create a draft, save it, sleep on it, come back and edit it 10 times, but until you send it to someone else for proofing, well………….. it’s just going to look fine and normal to your eyes.

Now brentitude before you think yourself an idiot – I could relate to you some code i’ve seen in the past when I used to beta and even alpha test software – worse, for some OS/2 video drivers, some really nasty words were left in the RELEASED versions of those drivers. Markers and comments the coder put into place……… and when viewed with a hex viewer it was obvious how he felt about the software and the requirements to have to do it like he was.

I still do this day wonder – mistake? Didn’t check his work – or, a slip they really didn’t mind if it made it through?

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[Anonymous]

Making a “punch list” is really hard for me. My brain shuts down as I look for the little things that have to be done so I have to move on to something else. This happens even when I go back later to check. My brain is freezing even as I type this. Does anyone have any suggestions?

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[Dennis]

Hey! Yep! A punch list is just how @billd describe it! So I don’t mess up my working rhythm, I do most of the checks when I’m done the first draft, and then again when I have a finished copy.

I make a template for a list for big things I do. For example. When I prepared catalogs for clients, I found myself making many of the same mistakes every time I prepared a new one.

So my list would include:

Cover Page

Dates

Deals

Terms

List of Products

Product Numbers

Prices

and stuff like that (been out of that for about ten years).

This way I could keep track of each section and what I had done to it, including having it proofed by someone else.

It sounds complicated, and at first it is, but once you make even a small list, then keep track of mistakes and add them to your list.

You quickly end up with a list of things to double check, and a way to verify the fact that you did.

Have someone else go through the work is a life saver.

I also make use text-to-speech, as @Michael does.

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[Anonymous]

Dennis, many thanks! I can see your suggestion helping with more than just paperwork. I’ll start using it tomorrow!

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[Anonymous]

Sorry to hear about your troubles but relieved to hear it might be a common ADD trait. I think my constant double-checking is part of poor working memory. I do some work and then forget about it minutes later. At work, I use a “task list,” a list of actions to perform each hour, day, week or month. A detailed to-do list. I also keep a running computer entry by 5-10-15 minute blocks depending on the depth of details needed. (I have to report my actions in detail to my supervisor.) Even then the lists are only partially successful. I need to be a human tape recorder in my current job.

I find talking to myself (verbal reinforcement) helps. (I think about doing something — later I’m second guessing myself- – did I really do the action or just think about it.) So I say outloud what I am doing (example: I’m now taking mail downstairs.” Then take the mail downstairs.) Drives my super crazy but it helps me. So there.

I concur with the comment about proofing — have someone else proof your work. If you can. I just reread this post outloud to make sure I didn’t leave out words or goof up the words I intended to write. I tend to think of a word in my head and either leave it out or type a similar word which may be irrelevant to message.

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[Anonymous]

I love the idea of a punch list. I need to do text to speech more often.

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[Author]

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