www.inkthinkerblog.com — Do you ever find yourself spacing out in front of the computer screen, or maybe jumping from website to website, or compulsively checking your e-mail when you should be working? Yeah, me too. I’ve mentioned in the past that my “multi-tasking” is really anything but. In fact, it eats up hours every week if I let it. But I finally figured out what leads to those frantic bouts of imitation productivity:
- I’m hungry. For some reason, I have it in my head that no matter what, I should not get up from my desk when I’m working. Stupid, I know. So instead of getting something to eat when I start losing my focus, I force myself to SIT STILL and PAY ATTENTION, which totally fails because I’m hungry and can’t concentrate anyway. Note to self: There is nothing inherently evil about taking a lunch break. Or a snack break. Or several.
- I’m tired. Taking a nap doesn’t generally fit into my daily schedule, but there are other things I could do to perk up and boost my energy when I just can’t keep together. Trotting to the end of the cul de sac and back with the dogs is one. Sitting in the sun for a few minutes to stretch my eyes and get some natural light into my system. Drinking a cup of fruit juice or some coffee is another. Note to self: The best solution is to get a little more sleep at night so it’s not a problem in the first place.
- I really, really don’t want to do this project. This usually happens when I’m feeling pressed for cash and I agree to something I’m not really interested in out of desperation — never a good reason to agree to anything. But rather than just getting it over with, I stretch the torture out. Note to self: Suck it up and finish it already so you can move onto something fun!
- I’m scared of this project. As in, I’m scared they’ll be disappointed with it and won’t hire me again. So what if that happens? They knew what they were getting when they hired me, so if they’re disappointed, it will be because they didn’t give a clear enough picture of what they wanted, or maybe because they didn’t give me what I needed to deliver 100%. Note to self: Avoiding it doesn’t make it less scary. Just dive in.
I tried to come up with some other procrastination triggers, but they all come back to these four. What sets off your procrastination tendencies? Leave a comment. Or, you know, come back later and do it. ;)
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Number Three is my most frequent bugaboo — when I take a job I can’t stand for the cash, and then I just don’t wanna.
You’re right — the best thing to do is suck it up and get it over with.
My other big procrastinator is getting an idea for a project that’s not on deadline and “just taking a few minutes” to jot down some notes. And then, six hours later — well I have 8 or 10K, but it’s not on the deadlined project!
Devon Ellington’s last blog post..Sunday, March 23, 2008
OK. So you caught me. I was procrastinating . . . bouncing around from site to site to avoid doing what I intended to do when I sat down at my computer this afternoon,
But now you’ve gone an enabled me, cause my procrastination lead to my reading your post about procrastination, which lead to me to reading Devon’s post, which lead me to her blog, which led me to her eBook 5 in 10: Create 5 Short Stories in 10 Weeks, which lead me to purchase it, which means I’m going to be busy writing 5 new short stories in the next 10 weeks, which is sure better than procrastinating, but it was my procrastinating that lead me to a 10 week cure for my procrastination.
Janet Paszkowski’s last blog post..You Be The Judge
Gosh, I wish I would have had that ifnrmotaion earlier!
Boy did you hit this topic on the head! (And yes, I’m another that’s guilty of finding it only because I’ve been procrastinating for hours!!)
Today I started off energized, but was sidelined by a quick rework of a project I had done–a homepage content write-up. Shouldn’t have been a big deal but it turns out that after being sent to a nearly blank website with a list of keyphrases that read like a products list, I misinterpretted what the company sold and pushed some products they actually compete with, but were including as a way to snatch that type of search.
The funny thing is, none of this is a big deal at all, and the rework only took 20 minutes tops. But I was ticked off at everyone else involved because 1) more info in the beginning would have prevented the whole problem, but now I’m the fall-guy, and 2) the project was submitted FEBRUARY 15!! The team leader was informed MARCH 13!! And I just get this in this morning–when I have TONS of other work to be doing. You know, if someone could have just said something, oh, say, February 20th or so, I wouldn’t have batted and eye.
Deep apologies for the rant (probably should have posted this at writingfrump :), but now I do feel better and think I can stop procrastinating to get into projects for the people that deserve my attention!
The moral of my story: I procrastinate also when I’m ticked at ignorant clients & leaders.
And one more: for some reason I procrastinate when I have an excess of work moving towards deadlines. I get so caught up in the fear of not making the deadline that I actually stall instead. I end up meeting the deadline usually, but stressing the whole time. How insane is that? Or maybe it’s more that I procrastinate when I have a lot of deadline-driven work because I dwell on fun things I’d like to do if only I had the time.
Gotta love playing your own mind-games.
Thanks for letting me vent! (And my apologies, by the way…)
Oh my, you just nailed my problems. I don’t want to do the work I have, and I’m intimidated by one of my projects. OK, off to slay those dragons!
Angela’s last blog post..Novel Synopsis Help Roundup
At least feel better that we’re all pretty much in the same boat!
My usual trigger is fear of the project.
Sometimes I build up the story in my mind, make it to be more than it is.
Then when I’m supposed to start writing I startjust choke and can’t even look at my notes.
I try different opening lines in my head for days on end, worry the story is going to fall flat/ there is nothing new to say.
Ok, this might sound a little out there.
But one of my big procrastination problems is that I actually block out too much time for a project, and then the first few days/hours I try to get started, I just sit around and stall like crazy, then get extremely upset with myself for procrastinating and when I finally feel that I’m starting way too late and am up against the wall….well, then the project falls into place, I have just the right amount of time to complete it comfortably and even have a bit of left over time for those last minute problems.
So my new theory is….not to sit around staring at the computer, feeling panicked and overworked and wasting time. Instead, I now accept that I work faster than I think I do and try not to start too soon and avoid all that hand-wringing.
Sometimes, this actually works.
Lisa Romeo’s last blog post..Because, what the heck? I’m a fool anyway.
It’s not crazy–I know just what you mean. Once I figure out a project is not so scary as I think it is, I give myself subconscious permision to messa round until I really am under the gun!!
Oh, this is good! Just about anything can lead to procrastination for me. Hunger, thirst, the idiocy of society as a whole, bad April fools jokes, rabbits that eat through phone cords, rain, snow, Netflix. Well, you get the idea. ;-)
Amy’s last blog post..Freelance Mentality: Do You Have What It Takes?
I think fear of some kind is my primary procrastination motivation. Tiredness will do it too but often it’s fear that makes me FEEL tired. The trouble then is conquering the fear which can only be done by pushing through it. Viscious circle really, isn’t it?
Rebecca Laffar-Smith’s last blog post..Book Review: 10-Minute Clutter Control
Thanks! I just linked to your post on my blog. Today is Fight Procrastination Day, so I thought it would be appropriate to write about procrastination (and thereby either waste time or find a series of helpful ideas, whichever seems right).
Pearl
Pearl’s last blog post..Fight Procrastination Day
I get the ‘I’m tired’ feeling when I procrastinate all the time. I feel fine now, but when I get back to studying, I’m going to feel tired again until I do something else – and then the whole cycle repeats itself again.
I have the same issue as the post above by damaria senne. I build up stories in my head and end up getting choked when I sit down to write.
And i’ve done the different opening lines thing many times..