Wasted Days and Wasted Nights

procrastination

Daily Prompt: Wasted Days and Wasted Nights

Tell us your tried and true techniques for focusing when that deadline looms and you need to get work done. In other words, how do you avoid wasted days and wasted nights?

“Procrastination” – To postpone or delay needlessly.

I think I suffer as badly as the next writer when it comes to “procrastination”. I don’t deliberately procrastinate when I write, in fact sometimes it is the opposite, inspiration can easily lead to procrastination. I sometimes think of something that will be perfect to include in my writing and began to search on the internet for a visual focus, this can unfortunately lead to hours of “research” and very little writing.

 

I now have 3 key steps that I use to avoid procrastination:-

  • Visual Management – I have a noticeboard at home which I have labelled up with a 6 month period. On the first Sunday of every month I make a huge pot of tea and sit in my office for two hours updating my noticeboard. I add to it articles/competitions I wish to enter, a blog count target, a book reading/reviewing target and a word count target for my novel. I also use this time to analyse my previous months work as this encourages me to keep going and there is a fantastic feeling if you manage to reach the previous months targets.
  • Internet Off – If I decide to spend the time on my novel I do not switch on the internet. If I come across an area of my story where I need additional data instead of looking online I now add it to a notebook. At work on my lunch break the next day I then research the areas noted and if needed print them to take home. This then limits my internet use and gives me a physical record to review when time is available (I have even read through my notes while sat in the doctors surgery awaiting an appointment). For those that don’t have the willpower there is this available – http://fictionwriterstoolbox.com/writers-turn-off-your-internet/
  • Set-up – I now have a box file which I keep everything I might need to hand in, notebook, post-it, pens, research book. This means I am ready to write anywhere in the house without needing to be in the office, allowing me to steal time anywhere. If I know I am sitting to write for some time I now make a travel cup of tea and a normal (ceramic) cup that way when I finish my cup I don’t use it as an excuse to get up and make another.

See more at todays DP Challenge – http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/04/08/prompt-wasted-days/