The Swiss Cheese Technique for Writing SOPs

When we’re juggling multiple tasks, the difficult ones often get pushed aside. Writing SOPs is one such task that attracts procrastination.

SOPs are not easy to write. They’re long, complex, and packed with technical details. Every sentence matters, often carrying compliance implications. It’s no wonder people delay getting started.

But there’s a simple and effective way to overcome this resistance. It comes from the book “How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life” by Alan Lakein. He called it the Swiss Cheese Technique.

What is the Swiss Cheese Technique?

Lakein observed that we tend to avoid big, demanding tasks and drift toward small, easy ones. So when faced with something daunting—like writing a report, reviewing a dense document, or preparing a budget—we often escape into inbox-checking, web browsing, or making yet another cup of coffee.

His solution: don’t try to finish the whole task at once. Just poke small holes in it.

He called these “instant tasks”—simple, quick actions that still move the project forward. For example, if you’ve been procrastinating on an SOP, just open the file. Write the title. Spend ten minutes reviewing related material. The next day, work on it for another 15–20 minutes. These small actions are like holes in a block of cheese—and soon, the task starts to look less intimidating.

Why it works

I’ve used this idea many times while writing books, articles, and even this blog post. It helps bypass the mental resistance that comes with starting something big. By focusing on small, manageable chunks, you gain momentum—and momentum leads to progress.

Next time you’re stuck with writing an SOP, don’t wait for a long, perfect block of time to write. Just poke a small hole.

That’s how the work begins—and eventually gets completed.

Little by little, one travels far.

J.R.R. TOLKEIN

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