Resistance - Best Buddies with Procrastination
It is shocking how full of resistance I am to writing. I can find literally anything else that HAS to be done. But then a good friend sends a chat on Skype and I am off. Paragraphs and paragraphs. Why? This post is a little test for myself, to get down in writing why I am resisting writing.
JUDGEMENT
It's the putting yourself out there. Rabbit in the headlights - out of my comfort zone. I will start thinking of every word, will end up trying to be clever and generally lose the plot, so better not start. Bonkers! So just for my own sanity, I am trying to think of tips to let that resistance go (some might say that that is just procrastination from all the writing I should be getting on with and they would have a point). But if you have any top tips for overcoming the "this is not the action you were looking for" feeling, I would love to hear them.
ENVIRONMENT
I think you have to find yourself alone with your resistance. Forces at dawn. Television, radio, audio book, a kitchen that needs tidying, washing needing sorting - these are all props you will both grab on to. Or the most wonderful of all resistance aids - Google! Oh the hours you can hide away from your future path with searching online. From Facebook to Google News. Turn it all off, light a diffuser with stimulating Peppermint Essential Oil and face that resistance. Allow him to be there, welcome him and thank him for both coming and for leaving. Let him go, just for now.
TIME
Sit down to your laptop with a coffee or tea (so that you can't be thinking of getting one). Set a time limit. Starting off in small chunks - just twenty minutes. When all you are going to do is write, with all your focus on your task in hand. Set an alarm and stop when it rings. Are you disappointed? Could you have carried on? Tough! Allow resistance to come back in the room, but you might not be as keen on his company now. Then do it again in a short while and slowly build up; focus, break, focus, break. And each time resistance is welcomed back, I have a feeling it will be with an increasing eye-roll until he just doesn't visit that much anymore.
THAT'S THE PLAN!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Karen
Recent Comments
5
You are not alone, Karen, most of us struggle like you, we just have to get on with it, remain focus until that success is achieved.
I agree with you I haven't written this much since High school, But I have dedicated to the process. One l piece of advice I would give plan on what you're going to write read a lot on the subject. So when you do sit down to write, you're not researching and writing. Your paragraphs will flow better and you wont be as distracted
See more comments
Just keep working on working on it!