Kristen Lamb, author of We Are Not Alone & Are You There Blog? It’s Me, Writer, often writes about procrastination inhibiting a writer’s ability to get what they need to get done.
And that applies to everyone, right? I mean, whether you’re a writer or a mother or an accountant or whatever you are ~ procrastination peeks it’s ugly little head in and suddenly everything else is more important than what you are supposed to be doing.
All of the sudden,
- the laundry needs to be done now
- the dog needs a bath
- the taxes need filing
- the baseboards must be wiped down
- isn’t the car due for an oil change, and
- when is the last time we took that nice after dinner walk as a family..
Oh, I think I’ll make a pie! Like, for the first time ever!
Kristin calls them the procrastination pixies and encourages us all to just eat those frogs ~ which is some great advice ~ especially if you’re from the south and accustomed to eating their legs anyway.
What my scientific mind has been wondering is why? Why all the procrastination and where does it come from?
That’s where Charlie comes in with his explanation on what that darned procrastination thing is all about.
Isn’t he adorable?
Now get to work..
Are you a horrible procrastinator? What are your go-to tasks when you’re procrastinating? Do you watch Charlie is so cool like, which makes you, like, cool?
I call it being distracted. There are so many things vying for my attention in my world. I find that I need to get the have-to’s done first before I can sit down to write or I’m too distracted by their nagging presence in my mind. Things like wash the dishes, get a load of laundry started, run to the grocery store, exercise, etc. Once I get some (or all of those) done, my mind feels freer to get down with its creative self.
Right, because then you’re not worrying about it. That’s good as long as you can stop yourself ~ that’s where I have trouble. I’ll clean the kitchen, for instance, and then the floor looks extra dirty ~ while I’m doing floors, I might as well do the bathroom floor, then the sink looks extra dirty and I can’t clean the sinks without tending to the mirror, etc… It’s just a big snowball, If a Mouse Eats a Cookie -type thing
I have a list of things to do (chores, workouts etc) and try to tick them off, while scheduling in time to write as well. But if other things take longer, then they impinge on the writing time. As does the TV if I don’t have the discipline to turn it off. (That’s my single biggest problem, currently.) During NaNoWriMo I found a place of fantastic discipline and focus, where the writing came first for nearly 4 weeks. I’m going to see if I can find that place again for a couple of weeks each month and see what happens.
Re Charlie – I have no idea what you’re talking about!
Teehee
Ahhh ~ tv ~ I have an unhealthy love for it. I TiVo so many things that I’m never out of things to watch, which is most certainly a problem.
That’s a brilliant idea, going into NaNo mode for 2 out of the 4 weeks. I would love to hear how that works for you!
Yes! Charlie is adorable, in a young-enough-that-it’s-kinda-icky-that-I-think-he’s-cute sort of way.
Nice post, Kim…
Ha!
I think he’s cute in a shrink-him-down-and-carry-him-in-my-pocket-cause-he’s-funny-and-has-a-rockin-accent kind of way. Teehee!
Thanks, Liv