I don’t think of myself as a vintage procrastinator. But when it comes to writing, I can fill up 45 minutes in a flash by niggling around and doing nothing-stuff. (Nothing-stuff: stuff that does not need to be done before I can write.) I’ve mastered it.
I’m not sure I completely understand why. I love to write and lose myself in the movies I flash through my mind. I have fun hanging out with my characters and seeing what whacky things they’re going to do next. I open up my document and in the next two seconds my mind is saying, “Not before you check your email. Not before you pet the dog. Not before you call a shaman and retrieve that soul you’ve been meaning to retrieve.”
You name it. I’ll come up with it.
So today I decided, “That’s it. I’m going to get right to it. I’m not going to shower or anything. Nothing is going to get in my way.”
I set my intention last night, right before my boys announced, “We have a minimum day tomorrow. WooHoo.”
YAAYYYYYyyyyyyyy…..
This means I’m REALLY going to have to get started on my manuscript immediately right after I drop them off. No routine, filled with shower, exercise, contemplation. Nope. I’m not even changing into my clothes. I open my manuscript.
Sure as rain falls from the sky, next thing I know I’m checking my bank balances, reading my email, checking my Facebook notifications, rechecking my Facebook notifications until I got so annoyed with myself I finally knocked out 8 pretty solid pages I like.
My boys just came home from school and here I sit, still in my pajamas. They just kind of look at me with cocked heads and half smiles and don’t say anything. Maybe they think I’m having a breakdown or something, like one of those moms in a Lifetime movie. I’m happy with my pj strategy–they go straight to their rooms and do homework like good teenagers while I sit typing this and feeling pretty proud I finally got to my writing.
I swear I’ll break the cycle tomorrow. Get right to it. Unless, of course, I don’t finish this blog. Or need to eat something. Or need to make tea. Or need to cut my toenails…
Writing Matters 
I’ll get right back to you on this
Hahahahahahahahahha. Go write something, Burl. xo
Charlie beat me to it. Because I waited too long to comment. (Ha. Ha. Ha.)
Really, though, this is me sometimes. And I’ve actually found I’m more productive if I know the time is short. Any stretch longer than an hour and a half and I tend to waste it, “warming up” with a little email correspondence or computer solitaire.
You crack me up, QS. Tell you more why later! (We’re unstoppable.)
If I can put something off I do, not proud of it, just being honest.
I hear you, Janet. I hear you. xo