Define "done" before you start
Specify the minimum criteria for a complete output before beginning, so you have a clear stop condition.
Key takeaways
- What it is: Specify the minimum criteria for a complete output before beginning, so you have a clear stop condition.
- Why it works: Without a pre-specified done condition, completion is governed by the stopping rule "does it feel finished?" — which is infinitely deferrable, especially for perfectionists. A minimum viable output definition shifts the stopping rule to an external criterion: "does it meet the spec?" Tasks expand partly because perfectionists keep moving the bar; pre-specification anchors the bar before effort has inflated perceived stakes.
- Evidence: Plausible mechanism, limited direct outcome data.
- Avoid: Defining "done" in terms of time spent rather than output quality — "I’ll work for one hour" is a time constraint, not a done condition, and leaves quality ungoverned.
Why it works
Without a pre-specified done condition, completion is governed by the stopping rule "does it feel finished?" — which is infinitely deferrable, especially for perfectionists. A minimum viable output definition shifts the stopping rule to an external criterion: "does it meet the spec?" Tasks expand partly because perfectionists keep moving the bar; pre-specification anchors the bar before effort has inflated perceived stakes.
How to do it
- 1Before starting, write one sentence: "This is done when ___."
- 2Make the criterion specific and observable — not "when it’s good" but "when it has three sections, answers the brief, and is under 500 words."
- 3When the criterion is met, stop — regardless of whether it could be improved.
What the evidence says
MechanisticGoal-setting theory (Locke & Latham) supports specific, measurable goals over vague ones for performance. Pre-specifying completion criteria is a logical application of specificity; the stopping-rule framing specifically is practitioner-derived.
Honest caveat: Goal specificity research is about performance on the task, not primarily about preventing work expansion; the Parkinson’s application is a principled extrapolation.
- — Locke & Latham (2002), building a practically useful theory of goal setting, American Psychologist
Common mistake
Defining "done" in terms of time spent rather than output quality — "I’ll work for one hour" is a time constraint, not a done condition, and leaves quality ungoverned.
IX Coach asks you to state the done condition at the start of each work block and surfaces it again as the time limit approaches, so the stopping decision is made against the criterion, not just the clock.
Practice this with IX Coach →