Okay, now for the most ironic post of this entire blog, I am blogging when I should be getting my work done, and the subject of my post is: I have make a resolution to stop blogging when I should be getting my work done!
I usually work on novels in the morning and my bread-and-butter copywriting work at night, but lately I have been getting up in the morning and I'm like, Oh, let me wrap up this post/visit these blogs/check twitter etc. in the morning and it starts going later and later, and I think it is harming my productivity!!! No, I know it is.
One of the worst things I do is, when I write, if I'm confused about how to solve a problem, or at some sort of stopping point, then I think, Hey, time to check the blog, or twitter, or an email comes and I have to answer it, and it leads to something...often something bloggy. Maybe I should turn off my email as a starter.
And, in an even more ironic move, I went into photoshop to alter the graph you see, to show my terrible productivity, and this further harmed my productivity. HELLLLP!
So, I need to craft a New Year's resolution. I don't want to stop, obviously, but I need to put up limits of some sort. Sort of fence my blog and online fun into one or two areas of the day, that's what I'm thinking. I'm wondering if anybody has encountered and solved this problem. It has to be doable. I don't want to make a New Year's Resolution I can't keep!!
Any suggestions or helpful hints on things that have worked for you guys? Or, hmm, maybe I'm asking the wrong crowd!!! In other news, I might make a resolution to use less exclamation marks!!! What do you think?
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24 comments:
Oh, yes. I have encountered this problem. If you find a solution, LET ME KNOW!!!
Rubber band around the wrist. When you catch yourself misbehaving, snap it. Hard.
There's also this acupressure thing you can do to refocus yourself, but I prefer the not-for-pussies version because it implements some aversion therapy.
Or maybe I just like the sting... o_O
Someone gave me great advice. Set up a egg timer or some sort of alarm. Set it for an hour and write non-stop during that time. When the timer dings, give yourself a break and that is when you can check your fun stuff. After that time alotted, go back to writing, work, etc.. and press that timer again.
Ciara: LOL See below!
Kerry Allen and KB: Okay, those are both really smart ideas. I can set up the egg timer, and if I don't adhere to it, SNAP!
Wait, you're asking us to tell you "Shut up and write"? Suuure, that makes sense.
I use the timer system that Katiebabs suggested. I do everything faster and more decisively under time pressure.
B-b-b-but.... I don't WANT you to keep that resolution!
Um, I think you should blog MORE, CJ! I love reading your thoughts/posts. Of course, I'm sure I'm going to love your books too, so I'm torn.
I'm SO glad I'm not an author and can screw around on the web while only feeling slightly guilty about screwing around at work.
Also, I think that the use of exclamation points is underated!!!! As is USE OF CAPS to emphasize a point. As is use of asterisks *TO MAKE A POINT!*
Wait, I guess I did make a point there, huh?
Good luck with your resolution, CJ. I've made a resolution to be more resolved.
RFP: Does everybody know about this egg timer thing but me?
Nicola: LOL. Enabler!
Kati: So funny. You are totally making a GREAT point. I love the use of caps, too. But really, I don't mean to blog less, just manage it better, timewise.
I actually don't use it for blogging--because blogging has had to be lowest priority for me lately. (I can only set so many egg timers in one day!) But now you've made me think about it, perhaps I'll start. (Not that that's a resolution. No, I don't set myself up for failure that way. Nooo, no no no.)
I have not a clue - but the egg timer sounds good.
I commend you for making a New Year's Resolution - I stopped doing that years ago, lol
I had a comment written up, but I deleted it 'cause it pretty much amounted to nothing more than "Screw resolutions and self-control."
Shame on me. Bad Jen. :(
I spent a solid hour (or more) crafting my own super hero on a website yesterday. TONS of HILARITY.
Yeah.
We need a 12 step program. Bloggers Anonymous. Heh. That's funny.
K back to work(ing on my blog post).
PS.
As you know...I set daily writing goals with a friend. We sent an a.m. goal, check in during the day to cheer, and have to honestly give our tally at the end of the evening.
I've finished three novellas that way. It seems to really work.
I love the egg timer suggestion. I'm going to try that. I need help too.
I have a writer friend that was lucky enough to have two computers, each in different rooms. One upstairs, one downstairs. She didn't keep an internet connection on her work computer and was able to focus that way. Plus, having to get up to go into another room was a good deterent after she was already in her work space, in her groove.
The hubbster got me a laptop a few weeks ago and it's much faster, so I've been doing my blogging/internet stuff on it and I'm trying to get back into writing on the other dinasaur 'puter. I can close the laptop and put it away.
I know not everyone can have 2 computers or rooms to do this stuff in, but it's one way.
Self discipline is about the only way anyone can accomplish anything though. Becasue it's still easy to open that damn laptop. OK, maybe I need to close mine NOW.
Good luck! You can do it, you've got the publishing contract to prove it. Which I can't wait to see the results BTW. :)
RfP: ooh, multiple egg timers would be intense!
Tracy: I never make them, but I need one I think.
Jen! That's why we heart you! So funny.
LB: Will we see the fabulous results of your superhero labor soon? You check-in sounds cool.
Kwana: I just tried it for the last hour, and it was really helpful! Here I am on a break.
Kmont: Hey, thanks for the pep. I can see why that 2 computer thing would work. I'm one with my dino-desktop, but I think that's an excellent thing for many.
Okay, back on the timer! Soon.
Oh, Kwana; I don't know if you're on a mac, but I downloaded an egg timer widget. Just google it. Oh, I think it actually works on PCs, too.
Sigh. *back from wasting time looking at Mac widgets*
OK, so I guess I need some help, too.
I got the egg timer so maybe that will help me since I work from home so much. It'll also help when the kid is "having a consequence".
I got nothing for advice. I have the same issue. Working on the computer makes the distractions too easily accessible.
LB: I like the work buddy thing!
hey, Renee, okay, THAT is totally funny. I almost got sucked into widget land, too! So, is it working? It worked a round for me. I'm totally doing it. And isn't that bell chime nice? Very pleasing.
Good luck with the New Year's resolution. I have the same problem, although my problem is blogging and Youtube (or Internet video in general). I've dealt with my blogging problem, somewhat, with scheduled posts. I realized that part of my problem was that I didn't like my blog to sit for a while without any new posts, so now I basically write posts one or two days a week at most and schedule when they'll be published. Of course, this can't be done with any "breaking news"-type posts, or it'd be old news by the time it gets published. That's usually not a problem with the kinds of stuff I write, though.
I have discovered the wonderful world of no wireless internet. I unplugged the wireless router and have it in a separate room from my work desk. Marvelous how my productivity improved!
I was going to say to make logging on to the Internet a non option. Disconnect it from the computer during working hours and plug it back in once you have reached your daily writing goal.
Whatever you choose, I hope it works well for you.
Happy New Year!
lol...I have that same problem!
I'm doing it now...lol.
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
LOL! I use a lot of exclamation marks too :P I know exactly what you are talking about though as I should be sorting laundry and here I am checking blogs out.
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