Be Thorough

33 - Thoroughness

It is important to address and take care of the necessary details of every endeavor you undertake. Plan your work, then work your plan, paying close attention to every aspect, leaving nothing incomplete. It is recommended to make a daily list of tasks to accomplish, which will serve as a reminder, and as a way to increase productivity. What gets written down gets done. Being thorough is to be complete in your processes and exhaustive in all other possibilities. Every detail has been observed and addressed for soundness. The project or entity has been finalized, leaving no inadequacies. Always finish what you start, and it is helpful to "clean up" along the way. This will help streamline the project and keep you organized, focused, and on task, creating a greater likelihood of an efficient, accurate, and timely completion.

Characteristics of Thoroughness:

Being orderly. It takes order to be able to discover and tackle all components of a project. The area and contents must be neat and in good order. Keep the space streamlined, allowing for efficiency of the process. Orderliness enhances clarity and makes things physically visible and simplified. Ideas can then be focused on creativity and problem-solving rather than uncluttering and trying to locate necessary items. Being orderly not only pertains to the physical environment but also to the mental organization. Be prepared in advance for the process or event and mentally clear your mind of distractions, then fill it with supportive material and ideas. Being orderly will also reduce anxiety and stress, which can result from unnecessary clutter and disarray. Included with being orderly is providing a clean space. Ensure the space is free of spills, smells, and sticky waste. Keep it fresh and unsoiled.
Being punctual. Thoroughness involves punctuality to a certain degree. When you are in the habit of arriving or being ready on time, you consider the overall picture of completeness. Often in a project or preparation for an event, there are many moving parts, which take a considerable amount of organization and preparation to harmonize succinctly. In addition, there are more than likely many other attendees involved in the execution of the process. Being on time and having all the moving parts coordinate when appropriate show respect to your fellow teammates, allowing for high efficiency and strengthening collaboration.
Detail-oriented. Thoroughness is completing and paying close attention to details, including all small descriptive features. To be thorough means to exhaust all other options or possibilities, with every "t" crossed and "I" dotted. The details have been evaluated and analyzed, and the project is not released unless every aspect of the project, paper, or event has been considered and brought to completeness.
Being diligent. To be thorough, diligence must be displayed. An attentive and persistent effort is made to address all concerns. Being diligent is the effort it takes to pursue all processes necessary to create a quality finished product or process. It takes tireless perseverance and sometimes a painstaking tenacity to push through adversity or challenges and persist. Keep notes and educate yourself on areas of uncertainty. Pursue research until every question is answered. Seek the correct skillset for specified entities and be attentive to the project's demands and those working with you. Be determined to see the project through to a successful completion.
Time management. Time must always be properly managed. It is such a valuable asset. Being thorough involves a keen awareness of time and proper management of the moving parts. A timeline should be set up, and each area of the process should be given an appropriate completion date. Perhaps break up the plan into smaller segments, allowing for focused attention in a more manageable way, thereby taking pressure off the entire project. Or perhaps delegate smaller aspects of the projects to other associates and have better oversight of the overall strategy. A diligent handle on time will further support the final project's thorough and successful outcome.
Ability to prioritize. It takes an enormous amount of effort to entitle a project with thoroughness. You must take the time to prioritize all the pieces and process it incorporates. A key attribute is the ability to identify the importance of each leg of a project and prioritize the sequence, amount of effort needed, time involved, etc. This skill takes management expertise and the capability to consider many things before making a final assessment or order of importance. As a leader, be able to evaluate all aspects of the project and be able to categorize accordingly. And if in doubt, delegate, hire, or seek advice from someone with this particular proficiency.
Being focused. As with being detail-oriented, you must be attentive to the project. Being thorough takes a focused effort to have the ability to discern even the smallest of discrepancies or deficiencies. Clear your mind of distractions and any negativity. Reframe it with positive energy and focused attention to the strategy at hand. Practice mindful awareness and become absorbed in the details, considering the best possible outcome.

“Thoroughness characterizes all successful men. Genius is the art of taking infinite pains. All great achievement has been characterized by extreme care, infinite painstaking, even to the minutest detail.”

Elbert Hubbard

“Whatever work you undertake, do it seriously, thoroughly, and well; never leave it half-done or undone, never feel yourself satisfied unless and until you have given it your very best. Cultivate the habits of discipline and toleration. Surrender not the convictions you hold dear but learn to appreciate the points of view of your opponents.”

Syama Prasad Mookherjee

“For most diagnoses all that is needed is an ounce of knowledge, an ounce of intelligence, and a pound of thoroughness.” Anonymous

“Reaching towards perfection in any one thing should lift us higher in all things; it should beget a habit of application and thoroughness.” Julia McNair Wright