Maybe I'll Stop Procrastinating...Tomorrow

          Yesterday I went to a St. Louis Writers' Guild workshop entitled "Procrastination," given by Tricia Sanders. Since I am the Princess of Procrastination, I thought I might as well attend.  After all, there was a chance I could discover new ways to put off til tomorrow what I should be doing today.

photo by Srh Vee

         Fortunately, I found the opposite. Tricia shared some practical advice on how to keep our writing on track, such as:

• Write for short intervals--20 or 30 minutes--and set a timer.  (You can go to http://www.cooltimer.com/, I'm told, to get one on your desktop.)  When the timer goes off, you have a set break--5 or 10 minutes--to get something to drink, go to the bathroom, etc. and then of course, back to writing...

• Set up "office hours," hours where you are working and should not be disturbed. (Why do we insist on answering the phone when it rings and we're in the middle of something?  After all, the phone is for our convenience, not everyone else's.  You can always check the answering machine/voice mail, to ensure it's not an emergency.)

• Reward yourself when you achieve a small goal. "When I finish reworking the opening lines of this story, I get to phone a friend/take a walk/do a bit of knitting/play with the dog."  (Do not get in the habit of rewarding yourself with chocolate concoctions.  I've tried this, and now they are going to have to open up the side of my house with a wrecking ball because I can't fit through the doorway. Think about it...)

• Write down your year's worth of writing goals and email them to a writing buddy. Have your friend do the same.  At the six-month mark, send them (via the postal carrier) to your friend.  He/she has six months left to achieve them. 

photo by Don Moyer

      
 What advice do you have for procrastinators?

       And welcome to my three newest followers...Thank you Ellie for stopping by. I hope you continue to read things of interest.
        Welcome Madeleine Maddocks.  You can check out her blog.  (She creates soft sculptures...I'd love to see some of them!)
        And thanks also to Dominic de Mattos.  You can read his blog by going to his blog called Writes of Passage.