Michelle over at Writing the Cyber Highway tagged me for a meme on Procrastination Roadblocks and How to Get Around Them. Here are my seven tips on beating procrastination.
- Do your research and get your questions answered as early as possible. It's easy to put off writing because "my editor hasn't gotten back to me on the number of sources" or "my source isn't answered her phone." Those may be legitimate excuses, but they're also kind of lame. Knowing that it could take awhile to get an answer, you should ask questions early and avoid a last-minute scramble.
- Get physical. Walking or jogging usually helps me focus my ideas and think up even more. Afterwards I'm rejuvenated and ready to write. Plus, it's a healthy way to work through stress.
- Reward yourself for reaching mini-milestones. It's like dieting: if you deprive yourself of all the things you crave (eating French fries or checking facebook), eventually you're going to cave in and have a major binge. After I've completed an assignment (or just written for a designated time period), I allow myself to check the forums and surf my favorite blogs.
- Take a hike. Sometimes I find impossible to write at home, because I'm always finding a surface that needs dusting, a shirt that needs mending, or a thank you card that needs addressing RIGHT NOW. Getting out of my apartment and into a new setting helps me refocus and avoids all the lame excuses that surround me at home.
- Unplug. By temporarily disabling your internet or unplugging your power supply (assuming you have a laptop), you can get a lot more done. When I can't plug in my laptop, it forces me to stay focused and write everything down before the battery dies and my computer goes into hibernate mode. I have a lot of trouble writing long-hand, but that's another option.
- Write on topics that interest you. Yes, sometimes we all have to write things that don't interest us to pay the bills. But if you carve out a niche writing about things you like, it shouldn't be hard to pull yourself away from the TV long enough to finish your assignment.
- Branch out. Even if you're doing #6 right and sticking to topics that you love, too much of the same thing gets boring. So take on a variety of assignments to keep things interesting. If you're blocked on the travel article, shift gears and write that blog post instead. At least you're getting something done, even if it's not the piece you planned.
I have a hard time keeping track of who's been tagged and who hasn't. So, if you'd like to blog about this meme, then feel free to leave a comment and tag yourself!
Great post, Susan. Unplugging is a tricky one for me — and closing my email and Twitter stream, in particular. I’m hooked on them! But when I do close them, it’s amazing how much more productive I am.
Two other suggestions:
* Find a power hour. For me, that’s usually the first hour of the work day. I try to keep that hour clear of meetings and use it for working on a particularly important project. It’s amazing how that first hour can set the productivity tone for the rest of the day.
* Following a good to-do list. Whether it’s on a scrap of paper or online, having a clear list of items that need to get done is always helpful. I also try and make the distinction between items that must get done that day and items that I’d like to complete.
Looking forward to others’ productivity tips!
–Bryan Person
Bryper.com
Great job, Susan! I love your tips and suggestions. You’re so right that getting away from your normal writing spot helps tremendously.
Lame excuses won’t get us anywhere either. Apparently your wisdom is working because you’re quite the successful gal!
Thanks so much for participating.
Smiles,
Michele
I’ll take you up on that, Susan, and tag myself! Come visit at innovativeteen.blogspot.com .
The exercise-through-stress thing really helps… if you think about it, writers stress about writing and probably about getting enough exercise too (our career hardly lends itself to walking, etc.) So if you work out/walk/run/MOVE and figure out writing problems along the way, you’ve eliminated two sources of stress and feel good at the same time.
@Gabrielle: I hadn’t thought about exercising in that way, but you’re absolutely right! And I enjoyed reading your meme, too.
Hi, Susan! Great tips.
I just posted my own… I notice we have very similar thoughts for #2. 
Hope all is going well with your endeavors!
Janna