I started with all good intentions this morning. I can’t say I do this most days as my life doesn’t have much structure at the moment. Perhaps that’s why I have a tendency to procrastinate.
I was prepared.
I had made my list.
I had prioritised my tasks.
Then I dithered.
I made a drink to take into my office. Switched on the computer – first mistake. While it was whirring into life I read my list. Sipped my tea. Looked out of the window. Shuffled some papers. READ MY EMAIL.
Warning: DO NOT READ YOUR EMAIL FIRST.
It was a very good email, informative, interesting, it related to what I was going to work on in the afternoon. I should have left reading it until the afternoon. That was my first mistake. The second was that there was a link…and I followed it. and found some very interesting YouTube videos on procrastination, and how to avoid it. I didn’t watch one, I watched three!
Luckily I did realise what I was doing (due to the content of the videos?) and got back to work. Two short stories edited/completed this morning ready to send out and now on to a productive afternoon.
If you want to read more about avoiding procrastination ( is that procrastination in itself?) I can recommend a good book by Julie Morgenstern, Never Check E-mail in the Morning: And Other Unexpected Strategies for Making Your Work Life Work
– but finish what you’re doing first before you look on Amazon.