Define "done" before you start

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.

How to do it

1. Before starting, write one sentence: "This is done when ___."
2. Make the criterion specific and observable — not "when it’s good" but "when it has three sections, answers the brief, and is under 500 words."
3. When the criterion is met, stop — regardless of whether it could be improved.

Evidence

Goal-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. (mechanistic)

Goal specificity research is about performance on the task, not primarily about preventing work expansion; the Parkinson’s application is a principled extrapolation.

Sources

• 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.