diff --git a/manuskript/data/outline.py b/manuskript/data/outline.py
index c98af2d9..b4d409d9 100644
--- a/manuskript/data/outline.py
+++ b/manuskript/data/outline.py
@@ -212,10 +212,18 @@ class OutlineFolder(OutlineItem):
 
         return count
 
-    def load(self, _: bool = True):
+    def load(self, optimized: bool = True):
         metadata, _ = self.file.loadMMD(True)
         OutlineItem.loadMetadata(self, metadata)
-        self.state = OutlineState.COMPLETE
+
+        if optimized:
+            self.state = OutlineState.OPTIMIZED
+        else:
+            for item in self.items:
+                if item.state != OutlineState.COMPLETE:
+                    return
+
+            self.state = OutlineState.COMPLETE
 
     @classmethod
     def saveItems(cls, folder, recursive: bool = True):
diff --git a/manuskript/data/project.py b/manuskript/data/project.py
index ebce4e42..2b80bc77 100644
--- a/manuskript/data/project.py
+++ b/manuskript/data/project.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from manuskript.data.world import World
 from manuskript.data.outline import Outline
 from manuskript.data.revisions import Revisions
 from manuskript.io.mskFile import MskFile
+from manuskript.util import profileTime
 
 
 class Project:
@@ -62,17 +63,17 @@ class Project:
         except BadZipFile or FileNotFoundError:
             return
 
-        self.version.load()
-        self.info.load()
-        self.summary.load()
-        self.labels.load()
-        self.statuses.load()
-        self.settings.load()
-        self.characters.load()
-        self.plots.load()
-        self.world.load()
-        self.outline.load()
-        self.revisions.load()
+        profileTime(self.version.load)
+        profileTime(self.info.load)
+        profileTime(self.summary.load)
+        profileTime(self.labels.load)
+        profileTime(self.statuses.load)
+        profileTime(self.settings.load)
+        profileTime(self.characters.load)
+        profileTime(self.plots.load)
+        profileTime(self.world.load)
+        profileTime(self.outline.load)
+        profileTime(self.revisions.load)
 
         self.file.setZipFile(self.settings.isEnabled("saveToZip"))
 
diff --git a/manuskript/ui/mainWindow.py b/manuskript/ui/mainWindow.py
index 541e93f1..84fe8004 100644
--- a/manuskript/ui/mainWindow.py
+++ b/manuskript/ui/mainWindow.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ from manuskript.ui.aboutDialog import AboutDialog
 from manuskript.ui.settingsWindow import SettingsWindow
 from manuskript.ui.startupWindow import StartupWindow
 from manuskript.ui.util import bindMenuItem
+from manuskript.util import profileTime
 
 
 class MainWindow:
@@ -31,9 +32,9 @@ class MainWindow:
 
         try:
             if data is None:
-                view = view_cls()
+                view = profileTime(view_cls)
             else:
-                view = view_cls(data)
+                view = profileTime(view_cls, data)
         except Exception:
             return None
 
diff --git a/manuskript/ui/views/editorView.py b/manuskript/ui/views/editorView.py
index f6006ba6..7df400ec 100644
--- a/manuskript/ui/views/editorView.py
+++ b/manuskript/ui/views/editorView.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import gi
 
 gi.require_version("Gtk", "3.0")
-from gi.repository import Gtk, Pango
+from gi.repository import GObject, Gtk, Pango
 
 from manuskript.data import Project, OutlineFolder, OutlineText, OutlineItem, OutlineState, Goal
 from manuskript.ui.editor import GridItem
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ class EditorView:
     def __init__(self, project: Project):
         self.project = project
         self.outlineItem = None
+        self.outlineCompletion = []
         self.editorItems = list()
 
         builder = Gtk.Builder()
@@ -76,21 +77,9 @@ class EditorView:
 
             self.statusStore.set_value(tree_iter, 0, validString(status.name))
 
-    def __appendOutlineItem(self, outlineItem: OutlineItem, parent_iter=None):
-        tree_iter = self.outlineStore.append(parent_iter)
-
-        if tree_iter is None:
-            return
-
-        if outlineItem.state != OutlineState.COMPLETE:
-            outlineItem.load(False)
-
+    def __updateOutlineItem(self, tree_iter, outlineItem: OutlineItem):
         icon = iconByOutlineItemType(outlineItem)
 
-        if type(outlineItem) is OutlineFolder:
-            for item in outlineItem:
-                self.__appendOutlineItem(item, tree_iter)
-
         wordCount = validInt(outlineItem.textCount())
         goal = validInt(outlineItem.goalCount())
         progress = 100 * safeFraction(wordCount, 0, goal)
@@ -105,6 +94,34 @@ class EditorView:
         self.outlineStore.set_value(tree_iter, 7, progress)
         self.outlineStore.set_value(tree_iter, 8, icon)
 
+    def __completeOutlineItem(self):
+        (tree_iter, outlineItem) = self.outlineCompletion.pop(0)
+
+        if outlineItem.state != OutlineState.COMPLETE:
+            outlineItem.load(False)
+
+        self.__updateOutlineItem(tree_iter, outlineItem)
+
+        return len(self.outlineCompletion) > 0
+
+    def __appendOutlineItem(self, outlineItem: OutlineItem, parent_iter=None):
+        tree_iter = self.outlineStore.append(parent_iter)
+
+        if tree_iter is None:
+            return
+
+        if type(outlineItem) is OutlineFolder:
+            for item in outlineItem:
+                self.__appendOutlineItem(item, tree_iter)
+
+        if outlineItem.state != OutlineState.COMPLETE:
+            if len(self.outlineCompletion) == 0:
+                GObject.idle_add(self.__completeOutlineItem)
+
+            self.outlineCompletion.append((tree_iter, outlineItem))
+
+        self.__updateOutlineItem(tree_iter, outlineItem)
+
     def refreshOutlineStore(self):
         self.outlineStore.clear()
 
diff --git a/manuskript/ui/views/outlineView.py b/manuskript/ui/views/outlineView.py
index 002591fb..d1019261 100644
--- a/manuskript/ui/views/outlineView.py
+++ b/manuskript/ui/views/outlineView.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import gi
 
 gi.require_version("Gtk", "3.0")
-from gi.repository import Gtk
+from gi.repository import GObject, Gtk
 
 from manuskript.data import Outline, OutlineFolder, OutlineText, OutlineItem, OutlineState, Plots, PlotLine, Characters, Character, Importance, Goal
 from manuskript.ui.util import rgbaFromColor, pixbufFromColor
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ class OutlineView:
     def __init__(self, outline: Outline):
         self.outline = outline
         self.outlineItem = None
+        self.outlineCompletion = []
 
         builder = Gtk.Builder()
         builder.add_from_file("ui/outline.glade")
@@ -138,20 +139,9 @@ class OutlineView:
             self.charactersStore.set_value(tree_iter, 1, validString(character.name))
             self.charactersStore.set_value(tree_iter, 2, pixbufFromColor(character.color))
 
-    def __appendOutlineItem(self, outlineItem: OutlineItem, parent_iter=None):
-        tree_iter = self.outlineStore.append(parent_iter)
-
-        if tree_iter is None:
-            return
-
-        if outlineItem.state != OutlineState.COMPLETE:
-            outlineItem.load(False)
-
+    def __updateOutlineItem(self, tree_iter, outlineItem: OutlineItem):
         if type(outlineItem) is OutlineFolder:
             icon = "folder-symbolic"
-
-            for item in outlineItem:
-                self.__appendOutlineItem(item, tree_iter)
         elif type(outlineItem) is OutlineText:
             icon = "emblem-documents-symbolic"
         else:
@@ -176,6 +166,34 @@ class OutlineView:
         self.outlineStore.set_value(tree_iter, 7, progress)
         self.outlineStore.set_value(tree_iter, 8, icon)
 
+    def __completeOutlineItem(self):
+        (tree_iter, outlineItem) = self.outlineCompletion.pop(0)
+
+        if outlineItem.state != OutlineState.COMPLETE:
+            outlineItem.load(False)
+
+        self.__updateOutlineItem(tree_iter, outlineItem)
+
+        return len(self.outlineCompletion) > 0
+
+    def __appendOutlineItem(self, outlineItem: OutlineItem, parent_iter=None):
+        tree_iter = self.outlineStore.append(parent_iter)
+
+        if tree_iter is None:
+            return
+
+        if type(outlineItem) is OutlineFolder:
+            for item in outlineItem:
+                self.__appendOutlineItem(item, tree_iter)
+
+        if outlineItem.state != OutlineState.COMPLETE:
+            if len(self.outlineCompletion) == 0:
+                GObject.idle_add(self.__completeOutlineItem)
+
+            self.outlineCompletion.append((tree_iter, outlineItem))
+
+        self.__updateOutlineItem(tree_iter, outlineItem)
+
     def refreshOutlineStore(self):
         self.outlineStore.clear()
 
diff --git a/manuskript/util/__init__.py b/manuskript/util/__init__.py
index 78fd9c4a..01acf0bc 100644
--- a/manuskript/util/__init__.py
+++ b/manuskript/util/__init__.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
 import re
+import time
 
 from manuskript.util.counter import CounterKind, CharCounter, WordCounter, PageCounter
 
@@ -70,3 +71,11 @@ def safeFraction(value, low, high) -> float:
         return 1.0
     else:
         return 1.0 * (value - low) / (high - low)
+
+
+def profileTime(func, *args):
+    start = time.perf_counter()
+    result = func(*args)
+    end = time.perf_counter()
+    print("{}.{}: {}".format(func.__module__, func.__name__, end - start))
+    return result
diff --git a/manuskript/util/counter.py b/manuskript/util/counter.py
index 53667e81..05a7d482 100644
--- a/manuskript/util/counter.py
+++ b/manuskript/util/counter.py
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ _char_pattern_with_spaces = re.compile(r"[\S ]")
 _char_pattern_without_spaces = re.compile(r"\S")
 _word_pattern = re.compile(r"\S+")
 
+_whitespace = " \t\r\n"
+
 
 @unique
 class CounterKind(Enum):