Quote:
Originally Posted by Perna
I use the scatter-shot approach? Sometimes I'll just do whatever it is I think of. If I make the mistake  of thinking about it (writing papers) I work on it for at least a few minutes and then see where I am; sometimes I get lucky and I'm well engaged and can continue, other times I'm thoroughly stressed and overwhelmed/anxious and will jump at the chance to do something else.
When I'm making excuses to myself why I should play the 24th game of Solitaire in a row, I realize that gig is up and I need to switch again to something more productive. I was playing Mafia Wars on Facebook full-time a few years ago and suddenly realized it wasn't really what I wanted, wasn't getting me anywhere so I deleted about 950 of my 1000 "friends" and wrote a Facebook PM to the rest (real friends and family) telling them I would not be on Facebook much anymore and I went to a different social site I liked that was focused on health and got back to working with it instead.
Notice your own patterns? I figured out long ago that I tend to eventually buy what I want, no matter what my money situation? Back then I would lie, cheat, and steal to get a book, even if I had to go hungry. Now I treat my time and what I do like that; you're going to do what you want to do! Try to figure that out better and help yourself rather than fight yourself? If you want a degree or want to take a certain course or get a certain job you can, but you do have to want that and not just because it looks good or your mother would be proud :-)
If you have difficulty with a task, get your imagination in gear and turn the world on its head. Did you read the Harry Potter books at all? In the first one, the kids had to write a paper that was 4 feet long (instead of "500 words") and Ron was wailing his was only 3-1/2 yet. When I was 6 or so I use to climb up on top of my dresser and look at my room/the world that way :-) Figure out a way to engage with a task so you can work on it more easily. We all have our individual tastes, skills, etc. so figure out what works for you and to heck with how you are "supposed" to do things! I had to write and rewrite a paper 3-4 times and got thoroughly sick of it so the last time I spent an entire weekend on my bed and wrote it entirely in verse! The "challenge" of it kept me at it and the fact that it was unique and I was proud of my ability to even attempt such a thing. And, you can bet the points I had to make in verse stayed in my head so they were easier for me to remember for the final exam, too.
Your life is all for you, there's no one else in it? Figure out what works for you and to heck what works for someone else or what someone else thinks you should do? |
These are all very, very, VERY good points! I realize I end up beating myself up over nothing! That I'm not getting those business cards done, even though if I was completely organized I'd still have to wait on the logo to be finished. That I didn't contact people in Australia that I was supposed to, because I asked for clarification for the purpose of why I was contacting them, and was still waiting for my boss to tell me exactly why he wanted me to contact them (I'm new to the whole project, and just getting to know him, I figure I had to tell the people in Australia what I wanted.. it doesn't seem like you can send a professional email to someone in academia to just say "hi"). and then I'm not working on the website... because I'm worrying about all this other stuff. Meanwhile, I just want to read. So I think I will read... and perhaps.. everything else will fall into place. Or if I'm inspired.. I can work on the website. It doesn't have to be all done at once or in an orderly fashion. It just needs to be done in its own time.
Thank you!