The Reality of Getting Things Done: Why It Always Takes Longer Than You Think

Today, I wanted to get completely real about one of the most frustrating realities of entrepreneurship: things always take longer than you expect. If you’re anything like me—an eternal optimist when it comes to planning your productive output—then you’re probably used to underestimating how much time projects will actually take.

As I hit day 1,803 of my daily run vlogging journey and fundraising mission, I’ve noticed a pattern that never seems to change. No matter how carefully I plan or how simple I think a task will be, the reality almost always punches me in the face: it takes much longer than I expect.

Let me walk you through a classic example from today. I genuinely believed I’d smash through a long list of tasks. Instead, I ended up stuck on a single piece of work: updating systems and processes for the financial system in my companies—specifically, those tricky intercompany adjustments. Sounds straightforward, doesn’t it? “Oh, a couple of hours to build a quick system,” I thought. Fast-forward, and suddenly I’d spent two full days on it, with no end in sight. Tweaking formulas, working out automation bugs, adjusting, refining—it was never-ending.

So, what’s the lesson here? I’ve learnt that when it comes to forecasting how long something will take, I should take my original estimate and multiply it by three. If I think an hour, I should plan for three. If it’s a day, prepare for three days. Even then, life will probably find a way to throw more hurdles at you.

Why do we keep getting it wrong? I think it’s because we imagine the perfect scenario—everything going smoothly, no hiccups, just a straight line from A to B. But real life doesn’t work like that. There are always unexpected turns, setbacks, and distractions—what I call the productivity version of traffic jams and roadworks. In the old days, before real-time navigation apps, we’d plan a trip with only a map, never anticipating delays. The same goes for productivity.

So, my takeaway after almost five years of daily challenges: Perfection doesn’t exist. Things will go wrong. You’ll take detours. But the sooner you accept this and adjust your expectations, the less frustrated you’ll feel and the more resilient you’ll become.

If you’re struggling because things keep taking longer than you wanted—take heart. You’re not alone, and you’re definitely not failing. You’re just living the real entrepreneurial journey. Drop me a comment if you’ve had similar experiences or tips on managing this inevitable time-creep. And, of course, if you believe in the mission to save children’s lives through my run vlogging journey, please like, share, and subscribe to help us reach more people.

Stay positive, stay happy, and I’ll see you again tomorrow.