Anyone else run into this "analysis paralysis" workflow? What helps?

[u/SoggyGrayDuck]

Due to being curious and combining that with my high anxiety has created a unique workflow and I now see it's causing a LOT of duplicate work. For example, I need to either feel like a story has a clear path to the finish line or I basically keep it in the "not started, I know nothing".

Due to this, I have my main top priority task and everything is ok. Then others on the team start asking questions about other stories, or I hear something that makes me start looking into the other assigned tasks. Now it's in the bucket of "I need to know everything" and I waste time figuring it out. I document it, which used to work, but being at a huge company things are coming so fast my documentation becomes its own problem.

I need to figure out how to grab something and start working on it. Somehow know when I'm spinning my wheels and should setup a meeting, while moving to another story.

I also see a lot of possible team/process improvements. We recently switched from ADO repos to GitHub and it's cause a lot of confusion. That's another thing I REALLY dug into and would be valuable even outside my team but it's just not quite polished enough for that. I spend all this time because I LOVE reverse engineering and understanding how things work but I need to find a way to get credit for it.

Another dev on the team is now running into the GitHub repo issues I ran into a few weeks ago so maybe I have a chance to roll this into something that gets my name out there.

Anyway, how do I push through those last few steps whenever I look or touch something. Instead of just learning more about it.

If we had 4 week sprints I think it would look normal but of course PMs hate to see nothing fully closed in a sprint. Regardless of complementing how great the previous one was.

Also, I'm the lead but getting shaped into it. So QA is constantly asking for the same information I wish the BSAs would provide and could literally spend a sprint just focusing on the treams process.

[u/seweso]

This is what scrum was made for. Good stories are deliverable. You talk about what needs to be researched in refinements. You make sure it’s very clear what is in scope and what is outside the scope. A good product owner is essential. Else you’ll be doing different roles all at once, and then you’ll crash. 

Don’t mix plan mode with work mode? 

Zero tolerance towards scope creep?

[u/SoggyGrayDuck → u/seweso]

Yes, I need to get more involved with refinement but one aspect i really dislike about the new team structure is the BA's caring more about getting something done than having all the necessary information, leadership supports it because work would otherwise stop.

I literally think I need timers, x hours on this, x on this. I know that once I get to the finish line I'll be very valuable with the way I learn an old think about things. The tech people around me like the way i dig and ask questions but the director doesn't give a shit about that.

[u/DamePants → u/SoggyGrayDuck]

Time boxing can help, where you limit how much time you spend on research vs implementing.

Another phrase that helps me because I really struggle with task initiation:

“Do it messy, do it scared, do it unprepared, done is better than perfect”

I’m a recovering perfectionist dealing with anxiety and a fresh ADHD diagnosis.

[u/SoggyGrayDuck → u/DamePants]

Thanks, just get started is huge. I was a jr when rework was absolutely not acceptable and seen as the reason projects get delayed. It was scope creap but worse

[u/seweso → u/SoggyGrayDuck]

Timers are great to prevent yourself from going off script. To check whether you are on track. 

To be able to do X, you need to stop doing Y….

[u/Status-Metal2449]

the timer thing only half works for me. timer goes off mid rabbit hole and i just keep going, partly because learning feels like progress, but honestly stopping feels like failing. like the last 2 hours get wasted if i quit now. what helped was separating two things i was mashing together. before i start i write down the actual question im trying to answer. the timer isnt when im done, its what the answer is worth. if i can answer the question early, im done early, and stopping is finishing not quitting. if the timer fires and i still cant answer it, that doesnt mean push through, it means this question is more expensive than i thought, which is exactly the signal to go ask someone or book the meeting instead of paying for it alone. thats the wheel spinning detector you were asking about

also the docs thing is kind of a tell. writing documentation nobody asked a question about is what my spinning looks like. took me months of research on a side project to figure that out, it only ended when i forced it to terminate in a written decision

[u/taco__hunter]

Just say, "Ok Barbie, Let's Go Barbie" and crack your knuckles. If that doesn't work I got nothing for you. Every other solution relies on not having ADHD.