Tackling the Report Mountain

I’m now moving to a twice-a-week schedule for the newsletter, so you can expect to get one on a Monday and a Friday. I think that’s a good way of bookending the week as well with some (hopefully!) useful tips on hybrid working and time management! This time I wanted to talk about report writing, or indeed writing any kind of long document, something that’s a part of many professional jobs and as vast and daunting a task as you make it!

The Blank Page Blues

The blank page—the arch-nemesis of productivity. It can be incredibly difficult sometimes to face that blank screen in Word or whatever app you’re using and make yourself start writing, especially if the deadline is far into the future and you’ve got more fun/interesting things you could be doing (e.g. opening up the web browser and pretending to do ‘research’ for your report…).

Rather than trying to immediately write cohesive paragraphs, start by jotting down any random thoughts or key ideas buzzing in your head. It’s like throwing colorful paint on a canvas. Soon, you'll have a whole set of ideas ready to be expanded and shaped. After you’ve dumped it all onto the page, start arranging and editing them into an outline. An outline is a plan of what you want to include in your report, such as the main sections, sub-sections, and key points. It can help you organise your thoughts and structure your report in a way that makes sense to you and the likely readers.

Procrastination Prevention 101

Hooray, you’ve outlined your report! Now, however you’re faced with a whole bunch of empty sections that you need to fill with text. How to avoid the next siren call of procrastination? Break it down. Estimate the time you’ll need and set achievable goals and deadlines for each section. Procrastination hates a well-organised plan. Block out specific time in your calendar for each section of your report, so for example add a timeslot for writing the introduction, the management summary, and all your other sections. What you don’t want to do is have blobs of time saying ‘Write report’. That’s too vague and you’ll end up with writer’s block—it’s critical to have focused time when you know exactly what you’ll be doing and you’ll have that sense of achievement when you complete each part of the report.

Drafting: A Choose-Your-Adventure Story

Drafting a long document is a personal journey, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Some swear by tackling sections sequentially, like a well-ordered novel. Others (like me) bounce between sections, doing the most important ones first before finishing off with the less important ones. Find your own method. It’s less about the path you take, but the progress you make. Having said that, if you are faced with a very tight deadline, it may make more sense to prioritise doing the more complex/difficult sections earlier—if you run out of time, you at least have a partial report with the key pieces done.

From Chaos to Coherence

OK, now you’re working on a particular section. Again, if you’re struggling to write coherent text, just dump down the ideas and key points you want to get across. Sure, they’ll look like a chaotic puzzle at first, but once you’ve got everything down, then take those puzzle pieces and start connecting them. Think of it as storytelling. String those ideas together, add some transitions, and before you know it, you’ll have your paragraphs all ready to go.

Conversations with Yourself (and Maybe a Plant)

Writing doesn't have to be a solitary affair. Imagine you’re explaining your report to a friend or colleague. (Maybe do this when you’re working from home…). Vocalising your ideas can breathe life into your words and make the writing process feel less like a solitary confinement sentence. It’s also amazing once you start talking how the words will start coming as well.

Embrace Imperfection

Last but not least, embrace imperfection. Reports don’t have to be flawless on the first go. Allow yourself the freedom to write poorly, knowing you can always polish later. Remember, writing is rewriting. So, cut yourself some slack and let the words evolve over time. When blocking out time in your calendar, put in a slot for ‘Editing’, and also time for incorporating feedback from colleagues, assuming you’re going to be sharing a draft before it’s sent off to the recipient.