I've not written on this blog for most of this month. Part of me says that this is self-sabotage because now I can't even claim to have kept with my goal of writing on the blog regularly for the whole year (I came so close!).
The other part of me says that it is because I've come to feel that this is a futile gesture--the blog had become a place for me to indicate that I still hadn't changed anything about my life. I have remained the same uncertain woman who looked at her 41st birthday and didn't know how to accomplish my goals. My house is messy. My novel unfinished. I have a stack of projects that I say I want to do but I spend my days not working on them. I have panic attacks and and unemployed. Frankly, I'm not looking forward to my 42nd birthday with any great joy. I won't be the person I said I wanted to be a year ago.
I realized that writing in this blog was not helping me to reach my goals (other than the goal to write in the blog). I decided to take some time off (and figured that it wasn't like anyone would miss me, since I have few followers).
Unfortunately, it wasn't the blog that was keeping me from my goals. I remain the same person I was before. Nothing new has been accomplished. Sure, I rolled down a hill (it was fun! it was also on my 41 Things to Do List), but otherwise the time has resulted in few accomplishments.
Breaking bad habits is a hard task. I have years of inertia and fear built up. Breaking through this has been difficult. I have desire to do it but apparently not enough willpower.
I'm going to try again and I'll check in again soon with my report. I will definitely write again as my birthday nears (at the end of March). I want to be heading down the correct road when my birthday rolls around, even if I haven't found my destination.
Showing posts with label To Do. Show all posts
Showing posts with label To Do. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
February: A Chinese New Year and Another Clean Slate
Yesterday was the Chinese New Year. It is now the year of the Rabbit. While I am neither Chinese nor sure what Rabbits have to do with my year, I am taking this as an opportunity to start fresh.
January 1 is a time when many of us make resolutions, think about changing our lives, and otherwise see it as a clean slate to make a new life.
Back in January, I decided not to do resolutions because I was already spending the year trying to change my life.
If you have read any part of my blog this year, you'll know that I've had a hard time making any progress. I'm all good intentions with little follow through (or I get side tracked and the progress fades).
I decided yesterday that I would take this Chinese New Year as a sign that it isn't too late to change. I can still make a difference in my life and accomplish my goals. I just have to put some honest effort towards getting things done.
If you feel like your January resolutions have been getting a little dusty, do as I plan to do--take this Year of the Rabbit and start off running with your resolutions again. Sometimes we need more than one chance to get it right.
January 1 is a time when many of us make resolutions, think about changing our lives, and otherwise see it as a clean slate to make a new life.
Back in January, I decided not to do resolutions because I was already spending the year trying to change my life.
If you have read any part of my blog this year, you'll know that I've had a hard time making any progress. I'm all good intentions with little follow through (or I get side tracked and the progress fades).
I decided yesterday that I would take this Chinese New Year as a sign that it isn't too late to change. I can still make a difference in my life and accomplish my goals. I just have to put some honest effort towards getting things done.
If you feel like your January resolutions have been getting a little dusty, do as I plan to do--take this Year of the Rabbit and start off running with your resolutions again. Sometimes we need more than one chance to get it right.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Monthly Evaluation: Birthday Countdown!
The end of January is already past, and since I was out of town, I did not do my normal evaluation of my progress. Perhaps it is for the best, since I've spent most of these months simply explaining how I've not made much progress and then setting goals for myself for the next month.
Not much different this time, I think.
I am less than two months until my birthday and all I've managed to prove with this year is that habits are really hard to break. Having been one type of person for 41 years, I am having difficulty being a different kind of person for my 42nd year. I wanted to improve some of my flaws, particularly the procrastinating and disorganized part, and find a career/life for myself which I could be happy with, but I continue to be unemployed, messy/disorganized, and procrastinating.
It is very discouraging to find that good intentions are harder to turn into good, consistent action. I am excellent at planning to change. The problem, for me, is always in the execution.
In the same way, I am excellent at planning novels, but the actual job of writing them seems to be much harder to maintain.
Even things I really want to do (my novels, my 41 Things To Do list, etc.) are pushed off. I have started so many projects over the past few months but can point to hardly anything I've finished.
All I can do is hope that my increasing frustration with myself and the upcoming deadline will force me to get myself into gear and get some things done.
Not much different this time, I think.
I am less than two months until my birthday and all I've managed to prove with this year is that habits are really hard to break. Having been one type of person for 41 years, I am having difficulty being a different kind of person for my 42nd year. I wanted to improve some of my flaws, particularly the procrastinating and disorganized part, and find a career/life for myself which I could be happy with, but I continue to be unemployed, messy/disorganized, and procrastinating.
It is very discouraging to find that good intentions are harder to turn into good, consistent action. I am excellent at planning to change. The problem, for me, is always in the execution.
In the same way, I am excellent at planning novels, but the actual job of writing them seems to be much harder to maintain.
Even things I really want to do (my novels, my 41 Things To Do list, etc.) are pushed off. I have started so many projects over the past few months but can point to hardly anything I've finished.
All I can do is hope that my increasing frustration with myself and the upcoming deadline will force me to get myself into gear and get some things done.
Monday, December 27, 2010
December: Monthly Update
Another month has come around. Every year I feel like time is moving more swiftly and this year has been no exception. The past month has been particularly fast forwarding, with all the holiday season plans and projects. I can't believe how soon my 42nd birthday is from today. I really need to get moving on my projects if I want to feel satisfied with myself when my birthday rolls around.
Here's my status so far:
Cleaning/Organizing: some success and some setbacks. The front of the house looks pretty good (had company over) but I sacrificed a clean office for it as I moved a lot of half-finished stuff in there to make the rest of the house look nice. I now need to pull that stuff back out.
Half-Finished Projects: Still have too many projects to do and a lot of stuff started that I haven't finished.
Jobs: No interviews in over two months for me, and only phone interviews from my husband in just as long. No job prospects on the horizon. I have a few things to apply for, my portfolio to finish, and some references to gather for one job application. Otherwise, we need to work on projects which could bring in money.
41 Things list: No progress at all. I need to print out that list and plan some of them for January. I'd love to have most of them finished before my birthday, like the plan called for but which looks harder to do. I think I have only 1/4 of them done.
My Plan for January:
No resolutions for me--not anymore than what I already resolved for this year-long project. I will continue to work on my goals for this year before I turn 42--to organize myself, get better about completing projects (including my novel), and to find out what I really want to do with my life (like a job, etc). I wanted to explore my life and figure out how to make myself happier and more successful. That's what I'll continue to work on in January.
It's been quite a 2010. I lost my job and turned 41 in the same week. I ran a large event with national publicity (and lost money on that event) while completing several interesting personal projects. I wrote in a blog on a regular basis (something I've never kept up with before--but struggle to come up with content and have few readers--hi there reader, speak up if you are joining in on my quest). I cleaned, organized, and found myself disorganized again, several times this year, and discovered that I have a really hard time with procrastination and completing projects, even ones I claim I really want to do. I wrote on my novel but haven't managed to complete the first draft even with a good start at NaNoWriMo. It's been a complex year.
I hope that I can make 2011 a better year. I know it is up to me.
Here's my status so far:
Cleaning/Organizing: some success and some setbacks. The front of the house looks pretty good (had company over) but I sacrificed a clean office for it as I moved a lot of half-finished stuff in there to make the rest of the house look nice. I now need to pull that stuff back out.
Half-Finished Projects: Still have too many projects to do and a lot of stuff started that I haven't finished.
Jobs: No interviews in over two months for me, and only phone interviews from my husband in just as long. No job prospects on the horizon. I have a few things to apply for, my portfolio to finish, and some references to gather for one job application. Otherwise, we need to work on projects which could bring in money.
41 Things list: No progress at all. I need to print out that list and plan some of them for January. I'd love to have most of them finished before my birthday, like the plan called for but which looks harder to do. I think I have only 1/4 of them done.
My Plan for January:
No resolutions for me--not anymore than what I already resolved for this year-long project. I will continue to work on my goals for this year before I turn 42--to organize myself, get better about completing projects (including my novel), and to find out what I really want to do with my life (like a job, etc). I wanted to explore my life and figure out how to make myself happier and more successful. That's what I'll continue to work on in January.
It's been quite a 2010. I lost my job and turned 41 in the same week. I ran a large event with national publicity (and lost money on that event) while completing several interesting personal projects. I wrote in a blog on a regular basis (something I've never kept up with before--but struggle to come up with content and have few readers--hi there reader, speak up if you are joining in on my quest). I cleaned, organized, and found myself disorganized again, several times this year, and discovered that I have a really hard time with procrastination and completing projects, even ones I claim I really want to do. I wrote on my novel but haven't managed to complete the first draft even with a good start at NaNoWriMo. It's been a complex year.
I hope that I can make 2011 a better year. I know it is up to me.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Holiday Baking and Adult Responsibilities
Is there anything more delicious than holiday goodies? This time of year, it is so nice to be have a hot eggnog or hot buttered rum, some christmas cookies, and wrap some presents.
I think the best part about these treats is that, in addition to their great taste, they are also a tradition--something I yearn for every year. I'm a big person for traditions. I love the repetition, each year, of certain actions or objects--the first ornament on the tree, the coolies, the carols. Perhaps because we moved so often when I was a child and I never felt like I had a solid home or roots, I always yearn for solid childhood traditions.
Of course, as an adult, I find that these traditions come with a price--not just the cost of groceries but of time--the hours it can take to make all the goodies. When I was little, I was not aware of all the work but as the years pass, I find out the work can be time consuming.
It's one of the interesting things about becoming an adult. As a child, you can't wait to grow up and do whatever you want. As an adult, you realized that you have so many more responsibilities along with that long awaited freedom.
So with holiday baking, I find that being an adult is more work, but I also find that I can still get the enjoyment out of a holiday tradition.
I think the best part about these treats is that, in addition to their great taste, they are also a tradition--something I yearn for every year. I'm a big person for traditions. I love the repetition, each year, of certain actions or objects--the first ornament on the tree, the coolies, the carols. Perhaps because we moved so often when I was a child and I never felt like I had a solid home or roots, I always yearn for solid childhood traditions.
Of course, as an adult, I find that these traditions come with a price--not just the cost of groceries but of time--the hours it can take to make all the goodies. When I was little, I was not aware of all the work but as the years pass, I find out the work can be time consuming.
It's one of the interesting things about becoming an adult. As a child, you can't wait to grow up and do whatever you want. As an adult, you realized that you have so many more responsibilities along with that long awaited freedom.
So with holiday baking, I find that being an adult is more work, but I also find that I can still get the enjoyment out of a holiday tradition.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Clean House but Cluttered Mind?
I've been working on organizing and cleaning my house for most of this year. My paperwork has been disorganized and I have too many possessions for the room we have--making for crowded rooms and messy areas.
As I've been trying to get Christmas decorations out, I've been cleaning and organizing the house. My kitchen and office are still a bit messy but the main rooms are starting to look pretty nice, which is a big relief.
However, I've also been finding that I don't feel that much more organized. You see, I'm still cluttered in my mind. I don't have clear processes to keep my areas clean. I don't have established habits to put things away immediately instead of "waiting" and "coming back later."
I am behind in my work and have a long to do list. It is not just physical clutter which causes problems in our lives. I'm finding that out. Instead it may be that my physical clutter is a symptom of a larger problem--a need to get my mind more in order, and the processes I use to get my work done.
As I've been trying to get Christmas decorations out, I've been cleaning and organizing the house. My kitchen and office are still a bit messy but the main rooms are starting to look pretty nice, which is a big relief.
However, I've also been finding that I don't feel that much more organized. You see, I'm still cluttered in my mind. I don't have clear processes to keep my areas clean. I don't have established habits to put things away immediately instead of "waiting" and "coming back later."
I am behind in my work and have a long to do list. It is not just physical clutter which causes problems in our lives. I'm finding that out. Instead it may be that my physical clutter is a symptom of a larger problem--a need to get my mind more in order, and the processes I use to get my work done.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Beware of Ides: Why Fake Deadlines Didn't Work For Me
Procrastination. It affects most of us to some extent. I know I'm not the only one who has put off important projects or had trouble completing a big project on time. I'm certainly not the only Ph.D. candidate who had trouble writing my dissertation. One friend even talked about "ironing shoelaces" as what typically happens to people writing their dissertation: they'll do any trivial and unnecessary task to get out of doing more writing on their big project.
There is also lots of advice out there for fixing procrastination. One of the techniques frequently recommended is to set personal deadlines for a project or steps within a project.
I've tried that a number of times. I tried setting deadlines for my dissertation but I was always giving myself excuses. The same thing happened with my novel. I thought I had the perfect solution--to make myself work on my novel more often, I would set a deadline every month where I had to share my progress with my husband, and he'd do the same with his writing project. Since we'd have to be able to show progress every month, I thought this would keep us from slacking off too much on our writing.
I chose the Ides (the 15th of the month, made famous as the Ides of March when Julius Caesar was killed--"Beware the Ides of March!"). It was easy to remember, had a slightly ominous sound to it (thanks to the play) and was in the middle of the month so not too close to a lot of major holidays, so it seemed perfect.
The problem is that we haven't actually kept it even once since I started this program. That's right, in the 8 months since I planned to show progress on the Ides, my husband and I have not actually shown each other any writing.
The reason? Personal deadlines like this are fake. There is no bite behind their bark. I know there are no consequences for waiting a few days (which then turns into weeks). There is nobody holding me responsible for missing the deadline. I'm used to feeling guilty over not getting something done so this doesn't add enough guilt to make a difference.
During my dissertation, the only reason I finished was that my Chair announced that I was taking too long and set me a series of deadlines. If I missed even one deadline, she said, I would be asked to leave the program. Needless to say, I worked day and night to make each deadline (sometimes barely getting the chapter in to her on time, but never, ever missing the deadline). Those deadlines were serious deadlines and I didn't think about cheating.
I don't have the same pressure on me for any deadline I set myself. My husband would never hold me to a deadline in the same serious way and I know it. The pressure isn't coming from outside and is too easy to push off.
I suspect that this idea of setting personal deadlines only works for a small percentage of the people who have problems with procrastination. For some, it works because they don't have that serious of a problem with procrastination and the little extra personal competition (feeling like you should try to beat a deadline you set) or the discipline necessary to hold to a deadline was already there. Others may have a family member or friend who will hold them to a personal deadline with the same rigidity that my dissertation Chair did with me.
Unless one of these is true, a fake deadline may not work to stop procrastination. I'm still finding the perfect tools to help with my problems. People ar different in the ways they procrastinate, so the tools which are available need to be adapted a bit for the person having the problem. I seem to respond to hard deadlines, clear to do lists, strong motivation (reminding myself why I want to do something), appointments with myself, and timers. Sometimes these things work better than others.
I'm just coming out of one of my procrastination periods where I had a harder time getting things done. Things go in cycles – with my ability to get things done improving and then getting worse again. I'm now in the upswing so it is time to get caught up. Maybe I'll eventually figure out a way to keep me from crashing down into the nonproductive time periods, but I don't think it will have anything to do with the Ides of the month.
There is also lots of advice out there for fixing procrastination. One of the techniques frequently recommended is to set personal deadlines for a project or steps within a project.
I've tried that a number of times. I tried setting deadlines for my dissertation but I was always giving myself excuses. The same thing happened with my novel. I thought I had the perfect solution--to make myself work on my novel more often, I would set a deadline every month where I had to share my progress with my husband, and he'd do the same with his writing project. Since we'd have to be able to show progress every month, I thought this would keep us from slacking off too much on our writing.
I chose the Ides (the 15th of the month, made famous as the Ides of March when Julius Caesar was killed--"Beware the Ides of March!"). It was easy to remember, had a slightly ominous sound to it (thanks to the play) and was in the middle of the month so not too close to a lot of major holidays, so it seemed perfect.
The problem is that we haven't actually kept it even once since I started this program. That's right, in the 8 months since I planned to show progress on the Ides, my husband and I have not actually shown each other any writing.
The reason? Personal deadlines like this are fake. There is no bite behind their bark. I know there are no consequences for waiting a few days (which then turns into weeks). There is nobody holding me responsible for missing the deadline. I'm used to feeling guilty over not getting something done so this doesn't add enough guilt to make a difference.
During my dissertation, the only reason I finished was that my Chair announced that I was taking too long and set me a series of deadlines. If I missed even one deadline, she said, I would be asked to leave the program. Needless to say, I worked day and night to make each deadline (sometimes barely getting the chapter in to her on time, but never, ever missing the deadline). Those deadlines were serious deadlines and I didn't think about cheating.
I don't have the same pressure on me for any deadline I set myself. My husband would never hold me to a deadline in the same serious way and I know it. The pressure isn't coming from outside and is too easy to push off.
I suspect that this idea of setting personal deadlines only works for a small percentage of the people who have problems with procrastination. For some, it works because they don't have that serious of a problem with procrastination and the little extra personal competition (feeling like you should try to beat a deadline you set) or the discipline necessary to hold to a deadline was already there. Others may have a family member or friend who will hold them to a personal deadline with the same rigidity that my dissertation Chair did with me.
Unless one of these is true, a fake deadline may not work to stop procrastination. I'm still finding the perfect tools to help with my problems. People ar different in the ways they procrastinate, so the tools which are available need to be adapted a bit for the person having the problem. I seem to respond to hard deadlines, clear to do lists, strong motivation (reminding myself why I want to do something), appointments with myself, and timers. Sometimes these things work better than others.
I'm just coming out of one of my procrastination periods where I had a harder time getting things done. Things go in cycles – with my ability to get things done improving and then getting worse again. I'm now in the upswing so it is time to get caught up. Maybe I'll eventually figure out a way to keep me from crashing down into the nonproductive time periods, but I don't think it will have anything to do with the Ides of the month.
Friday, November 5, 2010
The Long Slog: Sticking With It Can Be Hard
I'm on my fifth day of NaNoWriMo and I'm already finding it hard to keep up with my word count. Like many projects, I went into it with enthusiasm and hope, certain this time would be easier. Then reality slips in when my back was turned and I see how much work I will have to put into my project, day in and day out, to succeed. That's when the real work begins.
It can be hard to do a project when things seem overwhelming. Despite being unemployed, I have enough volunteer work commitments that I already write a great deal every day. Then there is my internet addiction. Between the two I spend 16 hours at the computer already. Now add the novel I've been wanting to write for several years but somehow never got very far. NaNoWriMo is supposed to help me stay motivated, and so far I'm not that far off track (mostly because I worked ahead the first two days when I was still in that first flush of excitement).
I just worry that this will become like so much else--one of those things which I leave half finished or delayed because I became overwhelmed. Writing isn't that hard; it's writing every day and sticking to it that is hard.
Like so many projects, just DOING it is half the battle.
Here's what I propose to get past the problem:
1. I will work ahead in my count whenever I get the motivation so that on tough days when I don't get as much writing done, I won't be as far behind and get discouraged.
2. I will write everyday, at least somewhat, no matter what.
3. I will set up reminders to myself.
4. I will read inspirational pieces, but not spend too much time on reading when I should be writing.
5. I will remind myself about my goals and what I will gain from finishing this first draft of my novel.
I hope this will help. When projects pass that first flush of motivation and start showing the difficulty or complexity of the project, it can be hard to stick to it. I just need to remind myself that I am in it for the long haul. After all, this is my life and something I wanted to do. I should stick with it.
It can be hard to do a project when things seem overwhelming. Despite being unemployed, I have enough volunteer work commitments that I already write a great deal every day. Then there is my internet addiction. Between the two I spend 16 hours at the computer already. Now add the novel I've been wanting to write for several years but somehow never got very far. NaNoWriMo is supposed to help me stay motivated, and so far I'm not that far off track (mostly because I worked ahead the first two days when I was still in that first flush of excitement).
I just worry that this will become like so much else--one of those things which I leave half finished or delayed because I became overwhelmed. Writing isn't that hard; it's writing every day and sticking to it that is hard.
Like so many projects, just DOING it is half the battle.
Here's what I propose to get past the problem:
1. I will work ahead in my count whenever I get the motivation so that on tough days when I don't get as much writing done, I won't be as far behind and get discouraged.
2. I will write everyday, at least somewhat, no matter what.
3. I will set up reminders to myself.
4. I will read inspirational pieces, but not spend too much time on reading when I should be writing.
5. I will remind myself about my goals and what I will gain from finishing this first draft of my novel.
I hope this will help. When projects pass that first flush of motivation and start showing the difficulty or complexity of the project, it can be hard to stick to it. I just need to remind myself that I am in it for the long haul. After all, this is my life and something I wanted to do. I should stick with it.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Preparing for NaNoWriMo: Writing My First Novel (again/still)
If you have never heard of NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, don't be surprised if you hear a lot about it starting in a few weeks. November is NaNoWriMo and I will be participating in it again this year, and I'm not the only one.
Every year this online event gets larger and more people hear about it. The idea is to write 50,000 words between the first day of November and the last day of the month. It doesn't have to be a great draft, or even a finished one, but it does need to meet or exceed the word count. There are no prizes, other than a great feeling and a certificate and web page badge, but you will have 50,000+ words of your novel written in a first draft, which is nothing to sneeze at, if you ask me.
I have participated several times. The first two times were during my dissertation writing phase and while I thought I could do my dissertation and my novel, I gave up on NaNoWriMo within the first two weeks or so. The third time I was going to finish but ended up uploading some nonfiction I had been writing that month (effectively "winning" the contest but not with a novel--so it was sort of a cheat).
This time I've decided to try again, with the novel that I was supposed to be writing ever since I lost my job at the end of March. I have an outline and a rough draft of the first chapter, but I will need to start fresh and try again starting November 1.
Here is my plan (and you might want to consider something like this if you decide to join the fun and write your own novel):
1. I'm going to use the next two weeks to review my character descriptions and outlines to reflect some changes I have been considering to the plot, structure, and characters. If you are starting from scratch, this is a great time to make some decisions about what sort of novel you want to write and make some notes or outlines about your plans.
2. I'm going to get some work for other projects done ahead of time (some publicity work for one of my volunteer groups which has an event in mid-November, for instance, could be prepared early, which will be good for the group and good for my ability to work on my novel).
3. I plan to set aside specific writing times where I am not allowed to look at online forums, blogs, or web comics. I am completely addicted to the internet and it is a problem.
4. I've been reading several books in the last few weeks. I will read a few more before the end of October, and think about how these books structure their plot and introduce new characters. I will also look at passages where I like the dialogue and see if I can figure out what works for these authors. I hope this will improve my own writing.
5. I will not only update my word count on the NaNoWriMo site but I'll keep an Excel spreadsheet which I had downloaded last year which allows me to track my progress and whether I am meeting my writing goals for the day.
I am hoping that this year I will be able to "win" legitimately, for the novel I planned to write when I started the month.
Are you planning on joining in on the fun? What techniques do you plan on using? Have you "won" in previous NaNoWriMo years? What helped you do so (or got in the way)? Let me know in the comments, if you are out there.
Every year this online event gets larger and more people hear about it. The idea is to write 50,000 words between the first day of November and the last day of the month. It doesn't have to be a great draft, or even a finished one, but it does need to meet or exceed the word count. There are no prizes, other than a great feeling and a certificate and web page badge, but you will have 50,000+ words of your novel written in a first draft, which is nothing to sneeze at, if you ask me.
I have participated several times. The first two times were during my dissertation writing phase and while I thought I could do my dissertation and my novel, I gave up on NaNoWriMo within the first two weeks or so. The third time I was going to finish but ended up uploading some nonfiction I had been writing that month (effectively "winning" the contest but not with a novel--so it was sort of a cheat).
This time I've decided to try again, with the novel that I was supposed to be writing ever since I lost my job at the end of March. I have an outline and a rough draft of the first chapter, but I will need to start fresh and try again starting November 1.
Here is my plan (and you might want to consider something like this if you decide to join the fun and write your own novel):
1. I'm going to use the next two weeks to review my character descriptions and outlines to reflect some changes I have been considering to the plot, structure, and characters. If you are starting from scratch, this is a great time to make some decisions about what sort of novel you want to write and make some notes or outlines about your plans.
2. I'm going to get some work for other projects done ahead of time (some publicity work for one of my volunteer groups which has an event in mid-November, for instance, could be prepared early, which will be good for the group and good for my ability to work on my novel).
3. I plan to set aside specific writing times where I am not allowed to look at online forums, blogs, or web comics. I am completely addicted to the internet and it is a problem.
4. I've been reading several books in the last few weeks. I will read a few more before the end of October, and think about how these books structure their plot and introduce new characters. I will also look at passages where I like the dialogue and see if I can figure out what works for these authors. I hope this will improve my own writing.
5. I will not only update my word count on the NaNoWriMo site but I'll keep an Excel spreadsheet which I had downloaded last year which allows me to track my progress and whether I am meeting my writing goals for the day.
I am hoping that this year I will be able to "win" legitimately, for the novel I planned to write when I started the month.
Are you planning on joining in on the fun? What techniques do you plan on using? Have you "won" in previous NaNoWriMo years? What helped you do so (or got in the way)? Let me know in the comments, if you are out there.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Fall Back: Not Just a Reminder for Clocks
We are starting Autumn (otherwise known as Fall) and the weather will soon be cooling down (if it hasn't already). We will also soon reach the day for Daylight Savings Time where we'll be advised to "Fall Back" (a reminder to set the clocks back one hour). We'll also be advised that this is a good time to check our fire alarms and generally prepare the house for the coming winter.
I like Fall, and think these reminders are all good ideas. However, I also think that "Fall Back" can be a useful year-round reminder that sometimes when things aren't working, it is better to do a strategic retreat and regroup rather than forge ahead doing the same old thing and not succeeding.
In this way, I stopped job applications for a week, reviewed my resume and completely rewrote it, rewrote my cover letter paragraphs (personalized for each job but taken from a larger template depending on the job), and generally regrouped my energies since I was getting no where on the job market.
I got one interview (the first in 4 months) after this "Fall Back" (although I found out today I didn't get the position).
I've spent a lot of time recently complaining that I've not gotten as far as expected in my organizing and writing novel projects; in fact, that things were still disorganized and unhappy in many ways. I've decided to "Fall Back" and reevaluate what I've been doing and the techniques I've been using. Since I've not be succeeding, it seemed better to take a step back and reevaluate rather than just hope that things will improve.
Retreat doesn't not always mean surrender or defeat. Sometimes it is just a chance to regroup, rearm and rest--before tackling the battlements again.
I like Fall, and think these reminders are all good ideas. However, I also think that "Fall Back" can be a useful year-round reminder that sometimes when things aren't working, it is better to do a strategic retreat and regroup rather than forge ahead doing the same old thing and not succeeding.
In this way, I stopped job applications for a week, reviewed my resume and completely rewrote it, rewrote my cover letter paragraphs (personalized for each job but taken from a larger template depending on the job), and generally regrouped my energies since I was getting no where on the job market.
I got one interview (the first in 4 months) after this "Fall Back" (although I found out today I didn't get the position).
I've spent a lot of time recently complaining that I've not gotten as far as expected in my organizing and writing novel projects; in fact, that things were still disorganized and unhappy in many ways. I've decided to "Fall Back" and reevaluate what I've been doing and the techniques I've been using. Since I've not be succeeding, it seemed better to take a step back and reevaluate rather than just hope that things will improve.
Retreat doesn't not always mean surrender or defeat. Sometimes it is just a chance to regroup, rearm and rest--before tackling the battlements again.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Avoidance: Another Sign That You Need Organization
I can always tell when I am in trouble. My email inbox is full. My computer desktop is filled with files. My laundry is stacked up. This will mean that I am also behind on many tasks, not organizing my bills, and avoiding work tasks. I am probably spending too much time reading things on the computer or gone on a fiction reading binge.
I've done it many times before. These are all symptoms of a larger problem--but they also are part of a vicious cycle that makes me feel even worse.
Today I've got to face it. I'm feeling stressed and overwhelmed again.
The worse sign for me is avoidance. I used to do this all the time during my dissertation writing time. I know I have work to do and will even make a to do list, but then sit there doing "one more thing" for the rest of the day. This can go on for days, if I let myself, with each day the guilt piling on even higher, which, of course, makes me want to avoid the task even more.
The most frustrating thing is that sometimes the task I am avoiding ends up only taking 10 minutes. It doesn't have to be a hard task or a long one for it to build up like this. It just has to be something I am dreading--for one reason or another.
Sometimes I dread things because I really don't have a clear sense of the steps to take. Sometimes it is a task I simply do not like to do. Other times it is just something that seems large or difficult or which I worry about failing in some way.
Whatever causes the hesitation, I struggle with getting started and then with following through.
This is exactly the problem I dislike in myself the most and which I set out to find a way to fix (as much as possible) for this self-improvement project.
While I've become better at being self aware and knowing I have a problem, I have not yet truly solved it.
In other words, I've gotten better at reporting the problem exists but not in moving forward and actually doing the things I want without delay. Annoying, but true.
I've done it many times before. These are all symptoms of a larger problem--but they also are part of a vicious cycle that makes me feel even worse.
Today I've got to face it. I'm feeling stressed and overwhelmed again.
The worse sign for me is avoidance. I used to do this all the time during my dissertation writing time. I know I have work to do and will even make a to do list, but then sit there doing "one more thing" for the rest of the day. This can go on for days, if I let myself, with each day the guilt piling on even higher, which, of course, makes me want to avoid the task even more.
The most frustrating thing is that sometimes the task I am avoiding ends up only taking 10 minutes. It doesn't have to be a hard task or a long one for it to build up like this. It just has to be something I am dreading--for one reason or another.
Sometimes I dread things because I really don't have a clear sense of the steps to take. Sometimes it is a task I simply do not like to do. Other times it is just something that seems large or difficult or which I worry about failing in some way.
Whatever causes the hesitation, I struggle with getting started and then with following through.
This is exactly the problem I dislike in myself the most and which I set out to find a way to fix (as much as possible) for this self-improvement project.
While I've become better at being self aware and knowing I have a problem, I have not yet truly solved it.
In other words, I've gotten better at reporting the problem exists but not in moving forward and actually doing the things I want without delay. Annoying, but true.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Productivity and "Self-Help": Admiral Ackbar and Merlin Mann say it's a trap
If you have been reading productivity, personal finance, and self-help blogs for long enough, you know there used to be a very active and cool site called 43folders, where people like myself used to go for tips on GTD (Getting Things Done) and Productivity Pron (cool aps, neat tips, etc.). It was/is run by a guy called Merlin Mann who awhile back changed everything about that blog. Instead of frequent updates it meant to occasional rants; these rants became increasingly about giving up exactly what the blog used to be all about--reading about productivity.
The latest rant is a bit hard to follow at times (and has language which may offend some readers) but it ends with an intriguing image of a recent tweet Merlin wrote: "Joining a Facebook group about creative productivity is like buying a chair about jogging."
This (and some of the other bits of the rant) struck home to me. You'll know from reading my blog that I have questioned the wisdom of getting too caught up in changing my system and making to do lists, charting my progress, etc. I've been guilty of letting the self-help get in the way of the very work I'm supposed to be doing. I've also been guilty of enjoying my RSS feed too much, even to the detriment of the novel I am supposed to be writing.
I know I am not the only one out there with this problem. I also know that the simple "just do it" statements of people like Mann don't actually motivate very well. Sure, I find myself nodding and feeling like "yes, I should turn myself around" but really I feel this way after many a "self-help" article about productivity and motivation.
There is no easy answer for this trap. Each person will find her way out of it (or not) based on the goals that drive her. I know that my journey for this year has been all about me seeking my path to being able to get work done consistently and to find work which makes me want to keep doing it.
I don't have the answers, and neither does Mann (for me at least), but we both know that reading more self-help blogs doesn't get me there. As Admiral Ackbar (and Mann) would say "It's a trap!"
The latest rant is a bit hard to follow at times (and has language which may offend some readers) but it ends with an intriguing image of a recent tweet Merlin wrote: "Joining a Facebook group about creative productivity is like buying a chair about jogging."
This (and some of the other bits of the rant) struck home to me. You'll know from reading my blog that I have questioned the wisdom of getting too caught up in changing my system and making to do lists, charting my progress, etc. I've been guilty of letting the self-help get in the way of the very work I'm supposed to be doing. I've also been guilty of enjoying my RSS feed too much, even to the detriment of the novel I am supposed to be writing.
I know I am not the only one out there with this problem. I also know that the simple "just do it" statements of people like Mann don't actually motivate very well. Sure, I find myself nodding and feeling like "yes, I should turn myself around" but really I feel this way after many a "self-help" article about productivity and motivation.
There is no easy answer for this trap. Each person will find her way out of it (or not) based on the goals that drive her. I know that my journey for this year has been all about me seeking my path to being able to get work done consistently and to find work which makes me want to keep doing it.
I don't have the answers, and neither does Mann (for me at least), but we both know that reading more self-help blogs doesn't get me there. As Admiral Ackbar (and Mann) would say "It's a trap!"
Monday, August 30, 2010
Deeds, not Words: Difficult but Important
Over at Get Rich Slowly, there is a great post about the difference between a Doer and a Talker.
This reminds me of one of my favorite scenes from the TV show The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. Young Indy has met a suffragette he is crazy about and her motto is "Deeds, not Words!" She constantly confronts him to do what he says, not just talk to her. For instance, saying that he loves her isn't enough if his deeds don't show it.
This gets at the heart of what is my greatest challenge--to move beyond simply saying I am going to do something and actually DOING it. I'm a great planner. I have all sorts of goals and ideas. I have a list that is a page long of stuff I'm supposedly doing, but most of them have had little to no progress.
Instead, I always have some excuse. I got busy on another project. I need to finish organizing this closet. I have to work on this. I'm too tired right now. It can wait till later. I'll just check my email first (and then maybe my RSS feed.....).
Even this blog is just all words. If I don't actually DO the stuff I talk about, my life won't get any better.
It's often hard. It's also very worthwhile.
My goal is to get better at being a "Doer" and not just a "Talker." I'll be working at that today. How about you? Just do what I'm going to do. Stop reading about doing things, and go do one thing that you've been meaning to do. Make progress on some important goal.
Be a doer. We can do it!
This reminds me of one of my favorite scenes from the TV show The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. Young Indy has met a suffragette he is crazy about and her motto is "Deeds, not Words!" She constantly confronts him to do what he says, not just talk to her. For instance, saying that he loves her isn't enough if his deeds don't show it.
This gets at the heart of what is my greatest challenge--to move beyond simply saying I am going to do something and actually DOING it. I'm a great planner. I have all sorts of goals and ideas. I have a list that is a page long of stuff I'm supposedly doing, but most of them have had little to no progress.
Instead, I always have some excuse. I got busy on another project. I need to finish organizing this closet. I have to work on this. I'm too tired right now. It can wait till later. I'll just check my email first (and then maybe my RSS feed.....).
Even this blog is just all words. If I don't actually DO the stuff I talk about, my life won't get any better.
It's often hard. It's also very worthwhile.
My goal is to get better at being a "Doer" and not just a "Talker." I'll be working at that today. How about you? Just do what I'm going to do. Stop reading about doing things, and go do one thing that you've been meaning to do. Make progress on some important goal.
Be a doer. We can do it!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Always Behind? What to do when your To Do list is never completed.
Do you have trouble completing all of your tasks? Do you make long lists of activities which must be done right away and then find yourself perpetually behind on your tasks? Are you putting off important but non-urgent tasks because you have other less important but more urgent tasks constantly on your list?
I know that all of that describes my life lately. I have a number of organizing tasks I have begun (and a longer list of things waiting) and I find myself disappointed at how slow I have been to get these out of my way so I can begin working on my novel.
After my big event, I needed to get my house reorganized (the event burdened us with a bunch of boxes to store and finding room in our house can be difficult--meaning a number of rooms need to be reorganized and sorted so the new stuff can be put away for storage). I also pulled out stuff from my office (so I could begin cleaning it) which left a bunch of unsorted papers in the dining room. I also am behind on laundry, have a large stack of clothes needing sewing (buttons and other small issues), and a garage which needs a major overhaul as we can hardly walk into it anymore thanks to new boxes. In the meantime, we've had some sort of small moth infestation get into our kitchen by unknown means so I'm disgusted by this and need to clean the place out (and possibly bug bomb the house).
After just over two weeks, my list is just getting longer and the house more messy (I look around the living room and a house that was quite clean 4 weeks ago now has every surface covered with crap).
It is time to figure out what to do when my to do list gets out of control.
1. Sometimes this happens because I overestimated how much I could get done in a short amount of time. I made too long of a list and then expected to get it all done. Dialing back my expectations can be useful here.
2. Keep on track. Part of my problem is that I started projects while still working on others. When I knew I had a problem with the new boxes, I shouldn't have added to the mess by digging out the paperwork from the office. The office had waited this long, it could have waited until I had a better handle on other tasks.
3. Prioritize. I need to figure out the most important tasks to get me back on track and stick to these. I should not allow myself to feel guilty for delaying less important tasks until later.
4. Don't over commit. My list was simply too long for the amount of time I gave myself. And I had promised myself I would be through with it so that I could start my novel. I took on too much. This is the other side of the 1st point. I had too long a list for too short of a time.
5. Give yourself some wiggle room. As you do a project, you may find other issues. I didn't expect the moths in the kitchen. I had no idea that they would suddenly appear two nights ago. I just know that every evening I go into the kitchen and there are a bunch of small moths. It means I need to do a lot of organizing and cleaning and maybe go to the trouble of bug bombing the house to get rid of them. My list was too crowded to give me room to add this unexpected extra.
Basically, it boils down to don't try to do too much in too little of a time. Choose your battles wisely, give yourself time, and then add new tasks later.
My list tip I am considering: do the important but not urgent task of writing the novel NOW and not wait until I'm finished with these tasks. My problem before was that the novel was always "next." As in, I'll do that next, after I finish this organizing project. The problem is that there always seems to be another project to push it off. I need to find at least small amounts of time to do my writing, in between these much needed organizational projects.
Otherwise, my to do list will be an never ending source of procrastination on the one item that I say is most important to me. That doesn't make any sense at all, when you think about it.
I know that all of that describes my life lately. I have a number of organizing tasks I have begun (and a longer list of things waiting) and I find myself disappointed at how slow I have been to get these out of my way so I can begin working on my novel.
After my big event, I needed to get my house reorganized (the event burdened us with a bunch of boxes to store and finding room in our house can be difficult--meaning a number of rooms need to be reorganized and sorted so the new stuff can be put away for storage). I also pulled out stuff from my office (so I could begin cleaning it) which left a bunch of unsorted papers in the dining room. I also am behind on laundry, have a large stack of clothes needing sewing (buttons and other small issues), and a garage which needs a major overhaul as we can hardly walk into it anymore thanks to new boxes. In the meantime, we've had some sort of small moth infestation get into our kitchen by unknown means so I'm disgusted by this and need to clean the place out (and possibly bug bomb the house).
After just over two weeks, my list is just getting longer and the house more messy (I look around the living room and a house that was quite clean 4 weeks ago now has every surface covered with crap).
It is time to figure out what to do when my to do list gets out of control.
1. Sometimes this happens because I overestimated how much I could get done in a short amount of time. I made too long of a list and then expected to get it all done. Dialing back my expectations can be useful here.
2. Keep on track. Part of my problem is that I started projects while still working on others. When I knew I had a problem with the new boxes, I shouldn't have added to the mess by digging out the paperwork from the office. The office had waited this long, it could have waited until I had a better handle on other tasks.
3. Prioritize. I need to figure out the most important tasks to get me back on track and stick to these. I should not allow myself to feel guilty for delaying less important tasks until later.
4. Don't over commit. My list was simply too long for the amount of time I gave myself. And I had promised myself I would be through with it so that I could start my novel. I took on too much. This is the other side of the 1st point. I had too long a list for too short of a time.
5. Give yourself some wiggle room. As you do a project, you may find other issues. I didn't expect the moths in the kitchen. I had no idea that they would suddenly appear two nights ago. I just know that every evening I go into the kitchen and there are a bunch of small moths. It means I need to do a lot of organizing and cleaning and maybe go to the trouble of bug bombing the house to get rid of them. My list was too crowded to give me room to add this unexpected extra.
Basically, it boils down to don't try to do too much in too little of a time. Choose your battles wisely, give yourself time, and then add new tasks later.
My list tip I am considering: do the important but not urgent task of writing the novel NOW and not wait until I'm finished with these tasks. My problem before was that the novel was always "next." As in, I'll do that next, after I finish this organizing project. The problem is that there always seems to be another project to push it off. I need to find at least small amounts of time to do my writing, in between these much needed organizational projects.
Otherwise, my to do list will be an never ending source of procrastination on the one item that I say is most important to me. That doesn't make any sense at all, when you think about it.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Crunch Time
I'm just days away from a big event. As is often the case when I'm really busy with one event, other things have gotten rather chaotic.
The house is a mess. There are dishes in the sink. Other projects are on hold. One of my other groups has a meeting tonight I might skip. Life can get out of control and "put on hold" when a big event is coming up.
I don't like it. It is actually harder to plan for an event when the house is chaotic. I forgot to take something with me to a meeting yesterday because the table was covered with crap and I didn't see the thing I was supposed to take.
Disorganization and the chaos which comes from it--they are things I constantly struggle with and constantly say I will deal with and fix. So far I've never gotten a real hold on it. I've temporarily improved things but the fixes are never permanent.
When "Crunch Time" comes up, things get even worse and show me how much I need to get organized and have a system for dealing with things. If it was routine to put things away (indeed, too many things don't have a place to be, so they can't be put away), then it would be harder for things to descend to this level of mess.
As usual, I'm going to promise myself to get organized--next week. We'll see. It would be nice if this was one time I actually managed it and not just temporarily.
The house is a mess. There are dishes in the sink. Other projects are on hold. One of my other groups has a meeting tonight I might skip. Life can get out of control and "put on hold" when a big event is coming up.
I don't like it. It is actually harder to plan for an event when the house is chaotic. I forgot to take something with me to a meeting yesterday because the table was covered with crap and I didn't see the thing I was supposed to take.
Disorganization and the chaos which comes from it--they are things I constantly struggle with and constantly say I will deal with and fix. So far I've never gotten a real hold on it. I've temporarily improved things but the fixes are never permanent.
When "Crunch Time" comes up, things get even worse and show me how much I need to get organized and have a system for dealing with things. If it was routine to put things away (indeed, too many things don't have a place to be, so they can't be put away), then it would be harder for things to descend to this level of mess.
As usual, I'm going to promise myself to get organized--next week. We'll see. It would be nice if this was one time I actually managed it and not just temporarily.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Failure to Plan Ahead
Yesterday was Monday but I didn't post here, the first time I've missed my blog deadline since I started. Why? Partly because I have not been writing my posts ahead of time. Instead the day they are due is the day I've been writing them. When I first started I was a day or two ahead, but that hasn't been the case recently. So when yesterday came along and I had two major events to work on (one on an event I'm in charge of and another for a group I volunteer with), I had no post to fall back on and I missed posting.
I'm not writing this as an excuse to my tiny readership but as an example of what happens when we fail to plan ahead.
I've always been one to love lists and calendars but lately I've not been very good about looking ahead and planning. Even when I do plan, I've not been very good at following through. I might make a list but then only get one thing done on it.
This is partly just because I'm rather overwhelmed right now. I never thought I could be this busy while unemployed. I can only imagine how crazy my life might be right now if I was doing all of this and holding down a job. Perhaps this layoff was a blessing in disguise.
Planning ahead can be a life saver, if you follow through and actually do the work needed for the plan. If I had several posts in my queue waiting to be put on my site, then when things come up and I get too busy to post, it would only take a few seconds to have a blog post up and running, to give me breathing room.
In the same way an emergency fund in our savings account can give us breathing room, financially. When my husband and I were both employed last year I am happy to say that I put a fair amount away in savings for an emergency. This is what has been keeping us out of trouble since he lost his job in November and I lost mine in March. It's covered expenses for our big event in July, medical expenses for my sick cat, and generally kept bills covered during weeks where money was tight. If I hadn't planned ahead last year, I don't know how we would have managed over the last few months.
Thinking of the success of my financial planning ahead and my failure to plan ahead for my blog, I'm going to spend part of this morning getting organized and looking at what areas in my life (including this blog) need a little TLC. I need to plan out a few blog posts in advance and give myself some breathing room for busy days. I probably also need to do a few other things to create some plans for my future.
What things do you need to do to give yourself some breathing room? Do you have an emergency fund? What is stopping you from planning ahead?
I'm not writing this as an excuse to my tiny readership but as an example of what happens when we fail to plan ahead.
I've always been one to love lists and calendars but lately I've not been very good about looking ahead and planning. Even when I do plan, I've not been very good at following through. I might make a list but then only get one thing done on it.
This is partly just because I'm rather overwhelmed right now. I never thought I could be this busy while unemployed. I can only imagine how crazy my life might be right now if I was doing all of this and holding down a job. Perhaps this layoff was a blessing in disguise.
Planning ahead can be a life saver, if you follow through and actually do the work needed for the plan. If I had several posts in my queue waiting to be put on my site, then when things come up and I get too busy to post, it would only take a few seconds to have a blog post up and running, to give me breathing room.
In the same way an emergency fund in our savings account can give us breathing room, financially. When my husband and I were both employed last year I am happy to say that I put a fair amount away in savings for an emergency. This is what has been keeping us out of trouble since he lost his job in November and I lost mine in March. It's covered expenses for our big event in July, medical expenses for my sick cat, and generally kept bills covered during weeks where money was tight. If I hadn't planned ahead last year, I don't know how we would have managed over the last few months.
Thinking of the success of my financial planning ahead and my failure to plan ahead for my blog, I'm going to spend part of this morning getting organized and looking at what areas in my life (including this blog) need a little TLC. I need to plan out a few blog posts in advance and give myself some breathing room for busy days. I probably also need to do a few other things to create some plans for my future.
What things do you need to do to give yourself some breathing room? Do you have an emergency fund? What is stopping you from planning ahead?
Monday, May 31, 2010
Update 2: Second Month of Quest is Complete
Friday was May 28th, the 2nd month anniversary of this blog and my quest to find out who I really am, what I want, and how to set myself on the road to getting what I want.
It has been a very busy month. My husband and I have a number of big personal projects in the works. They have practically become full-time jobs in themselves. Some of them might even make us a little money, which would be useful. I also had one job interview and applied to a dozen or more other places which ignored me entirely. I was turned down for that one job about three or four weeks after I interviewed (even though I was perfect for the job, in my opinion). Since I lost my job, I've also taken on more volunteer responsibilities and two of them have become quite active. I've been a publicity person for these groups quite a bit lately, designing posters and postcards, and generally doing some interesting work.
Perhaps because of all of these projects, I've done little towards my stated goals. I've done no recent work on my novel (and probably won't while my current project is taking up so much time--it will be done mid-July, but until then I have to do a lot of work for an event). I've done some house organizing, mostly in response to visits from friends, but some of this cleaning was more triage than real cleaning--more shove stuff out of sight than find a way to deal with it for real. Hence things will get more chaotic if I don't bring this stuff out into the light and organize it for real very soon. I'll add that to the upcoming plan list.
I'm disappointed that in two months I've made more promises to myself than I have actually kept. That is, after all, the very pattern in my life which I was trying to break by starting this quest.
On the other hand, I've been amazingly productive and done some really interesting work both for my personal projects and my community organizations.
I've decided to cut myself a break here and not beat myself up on the lack of progress in my stated goals. I let others thing take priority and that's okay. I wasn't goofing off at least.
For June, I'm going to concentrate on getting my current projects done, particularly focusing on getting the Important stuff done before it is Urgent. I'll call this month's theme "Project Management." If I get far enough ahead on some of these projects, I will find it easier to sneak some novel time in there before July.
I'm also going to review my 41 Things list and see if I can't sneak in one or two fun, creative ideas from that list into my month. All work and no play makes RealMe a dull girl.....
It has been a very busy month. My husband and I have a number of big personal projects in the works. They have practically become full-time jobs in themselves. Some of them might even make us a little money, which would be useful. I also had one job interview and applied to a dozen or more other places which ignored me entirely. I was turned down for that one job about three or four weeks after I interviewed (even though I was perfect for the job, in my opinion). Since I lost my job, I've also taken on more volunteer responsibilities and two of them have become quite active. I've been a publicity person for these groups quite a bit lately, designing posters and postcards, and generally doing some interesting work.
Perhaps because of all of these projects, I've done little towards my stated goals. I've done no recent work on my novel (and probably won't while my current project is taking up so much time--it will be done mid-July, but until then I have to do a lot of work for an event). I've done some house organizing, mostly in response to visits from friends, but some of this cleaning was more triage than real cleaning--more shove stuff out of sight than find a way to deal with it for real. Hence things will get more chaotic if I don't bring this stuff out into the light and organize it for real very soon. I'll add that to the upcoming plan list.
I'm disappointed that in two months I've made more promises to myself than I have actually kept. That is, after all, the very pattern in my life which I was trying to break by starting this quest.
On the other hand, I've been amazingly productive and done some really interesting work both for my personal projects and my community organizations.
I've decided to cut myself a break here and not beat myself up on the lack of progress in my stated goals. I let others thing take priority and that's okay. I wasn't goofing off at least.
For June, I'm going to concentrate on getting my current projects done, particularly focusing on getting the Important stuff done before it is Urgent. I'll call this month's theme "Project Management." If I get far enough ahead on some of these projects, I will find it easier to sneak some novel time in there before July.
I'm also going to review my 41 Things list and see if I can't sneak in one or two fun, creative ideas from that list into my month. All work and no play makes RealMe a dull girl.....
Monday, May 24, 2010
ROI for Setting Goals
Return on Investment (ROI) is a used to evaluate the efficiency of an investment. To calculate ROI, the benefit (return) of an investment is divided by the cost of the investment; the result is expressed as a percentage or a ratio.
What does that have to do with those of us who don't have a lot of money to invest? I think that ROI can be a useful measure for life in general. Does the benefit I get from (whatever) outweigh the cost? For instance, does the benefit of buying that new gadget outweigh the amount of money it would cost me (and the requisite number of hours it took to earn that money/the use that money could otherwise be going to or whether I have that money to begin with or will have to be in debt for it and so have to eventually pay back that money with even more hours of work to make up for the interest on the debt)?
Even for nonfinancial matters the ROI can be useful. In addition to helping me determine whether to buy big-ticket items, I can use it to evaluate different projects. Will the ROI be high enough to make up for the work I will have to put into it? Will volunteering with this group be rewarding and enjoyable? Does the politics of this group make working with them less rewarding and therefore decrease the ROI too much?
The same thing can be said for goals. I am a big believer in goal setting (as you can see from other posts) and I love lists of goals. However, I am beginning to see that the ROI from creating long lists is too low. I don't really get much out of having some of these lists. I spend a bunch of time managing the lists but don't get much else done. However, I do believe that having goals has a ROI that is high enough. I just need to learn not to get too wrapped up in making lists of goals and managing them (which takes away from the time to actually DO those goals).
Some of my goals are also rather minor and probably don't have much benefit to go against the work. Sometimes good enough may be enough. Sometimes the return on that extra bit of work one could put in the project is not enough to warrant the extra time and effort. It's probably part of that 80/20 rule I hear about so often. 80% of the result comes from 20% of the effort. That scrapbook I've been putting together as a gift? I could finish it in one day, if I wasn't so hung up on what else I could do to make it "perfect." But really the ROI on that extra effort would be almost nothing. It's close enough to perfect to make the person getting it happy. And she will be even happier just to have it done (since it is a bit later than I meant it to be).
I think we need to evaluate more things in our lives with this ROI calculation. Will the benefit of this purchase be big enough to warrant that amount of money? Is the time I will have to spend on this project (which will take me away from other projects and opportunities) worth the feeling of accomplishment I might get from doing it? Will this project have any benefit to me or am I doing it simply out of a feeling of obligation? Does this group's behavior make them less enjoyable to volunteer with and therefore reduce the benefit I receive from working there? Hard questions sometimes, but worth answering.
What sort of ROI question would help you decide whether or not to do something in your life?
What does that have to do with those of us who don't have a lot of money to invest? I think that ROI can be a useful measure for life in general. Does the benefit I get from (whatever) outweigh the cost? For instance, does the benefit of buying that new gadget outweigh the amount of money it would cost me (and the requisite number of hours it took to earn that money/the use that money could otherwise be going to or whether I have that money to begin with or will have to be in debt for it and so have to eventually pay back that money with even more hours of work to make up for the interest on the debt)?
Even for nonfinancial matters the ROI can be useful. In addition to helping me determine whether to buy big-ticket items, I can use it to evaluate different projects. Will the ROI be high enough to make up for the work I will have to put into it? Will volunteering with this group be rewarding and enjoyable? Does the politics of this group make working with them less rewarding and therefore decrease the ROI too much?
The same thing can be said for goals. I am a big believer in goal setting (as you can see from other posts) and I love lists of goals. However, I am beginning to see that the ROI from creating long lists is too low. I don't really get much out of having some of these lists. I spend a bunch of time managing the lists but don't get much else done. However, I do believe that having goals has a ROI that is high enough. I just need to learn not to get too wrapped up in making lists of goals and managing them (which takes away from the time to actually DO those goals).
Some of my goals are also rather minor and probably don't have much benefit to go against the work. Sometimes good enough may be enough. Sometimes the return on that extra bit of work one could put in the project is not enough to warrant the extra time and effort. It's probably part of that 80/20 rule I hear about so often. 80% of the result comes from 20% of the effort. That scrapbook I've been putting together as a gift? I could finish it in one day, if I wasn't so hung up on what else I could do to make it "perfect." But really the ROI on that extra effort would be almost nothing. It's close enough to perfect to make the person getting it happy. And she will be even happier just to have it done (since it is a bit later than I meant it to be).
I think we need to evaluate more things in our lives with this ROI calculation. Will the benefit of this purchase be big enough to warrant that amount of money? Is the time I will have to spend on this project (which will take me away from other projects and opportunities) worth the feeling of accomplishment I might get from doing it? Will this project have any benefit to me or am I doing it simply out of a feeling of obligation? Does this group's behavior make them less enjoyable to volunteer with and therefore reduce the benefit I receive from working there? Hard questions sometimes, but worth answering.
What sort of ROI question would help you decide whether or not to do something in your life?
Friday, May 21, 2010
Inspiration: Getting It and Keeping It
It can be hard to find inspiration, whether you are doing some writing (I'm working on my first novel) or some other project (from house organizing to graphic design work--both of which I've been doing a lot lately).
I even had a hard time getting inspiration to write this post. I started it on Wed and am very late posting it on Fri because I could not figure out all that I wanted to say. I was having inspiration problems on a post about inspiration. Irony!
To get inspiration, here are some techniques I use:
1. Read. I find that if I browse my favorite blogs or sites, I will often find things which excite me or make me think about what I am working on in a new way.
Some of my favorite blogs:
Unclutterer
Lifehacker
Happiness Project
1000 Awesome Things
Cake Wrecks
For comics, I like:
2d Goggles (adventures of Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace)
Digger (if you haven't seen it, start from the beginning and be enthralled)
Girl Genius (long, long comic but great from the start, especially if you enjoy steampunk)
Basic Instructions
XKCD
The Meek (although I'm not sure where it is going, I like it so far)
Glance through Cafe Press designs (here are two good examples from today's browsing:
Plays with Robots
Freethinker
2. Enjoy the natural world:
Go outside for a walk. Look out your window. Go to the park. Do something to get you out of your normal indoor surroundings.
3. Daydream:
It may seem counter intuitive but it can be a productive thing--as long as I set a limit to it and get to work afterwards. :)
4. Brainstorm:
That's right. If I am having difficult writing, I just write a whole bunch.
5. Play the right music:
If I am doing something active, like organizing, then my favorite 80s rock songs. If it is a mental exercise, then classical music or my section of the ipod labelled Favorite Instrumental (movie themes and other cool stuff).
Keeping inspiration can be a bit harder. Too often it is hard to stick with a project, especially a big one.
I try to do the following to stick with things:
1. Stop for a break only when I have something exciting to finish (be in the middle of a good part--not a tough part).
2. When writing, finish mid sentence or paragraph, not at the end of a chapter.
3. When organizing, set the work on the bed when it is in mid-progress so that I have to return to it before I go to sleep or be forced to move it when it is half done.
4. Promise myself a reward for getting more done.
5. Set a timer and just promise myself another 15 minutes or half hour on the project. This works if I am struggling because by 15 minutes, I may be so involved again, I decide to continue. I would have quit 15 minutes ago, but I pushed through and now I don't want to stop!
Do you have any tips for getting and keeping inspiration?
I even had a hard time getting inspiration to write this post. I started it on Wed and am very late posting it on Fri because I could not figure out all that I wanted to say. I was having inspiration problems on a post about inspiration. Irony!
To get inspiration, here are some techniques I use:
1. Read. I find that if I browse my favorite blogs or sites, I will often find things which excite me or make me think about what I am working on in a new way.
Some of my favorite blogs:
Unclutterer
Lifehacker
Happiness Project
1000 Awesome Things
Cake Wrecks
For comics, I like:
2d Goggles (adventures of Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace)
Digger (if you haven't seen it, start from the beginning and be enthralled)
Girl Genius (long, long comic but great from the start, especially if you enjoy steampunk)
Basic Instructions
XKCD
The Meek (although I'm not sure where it is going, I like it so far)
Glance through Cafe Press designs (here are two good examples from today's browsing:
Plays with Robots
Freethinker
2. Enjoy the natural world:
Go outside for a walk. Look out your window. Go to the park. Do something to get you out of your normal indoor surroundings.
3. Daydream:
It may seem counter intuitive but it can be a productive thing--as long as I set a limit to it and get to work afterwards. :)
4. Brainstorm:
That's right. If I am having difficult writing, I just write a whole bunch.
5. Play the right music:
If I am doing something active, like organizing, then my favorite 80s rock songs. If it is a mental exercise, then classical music or my section of the ipod labelled Favorite Instrumental (movie themes and other cool stuff).
Keeping inspiration can be a bit harder. Too often it is hard to stick with a project, especially a big one.
I try to do the following to stick with things:
1. Stop for a break only when I have something exciting to finish (be in the middle of a good part--not a tough part).
2. When writing, finish mid sentence or paragraph, not at the end of a chapter.
3. When organizing, set the work on the bed when it is in mid-progress so that I have to return to it before I go to sleep or be forced to move it when it is half done.
4. Promise myself a reward for getting more done.
5. Set a timer and just promise myself another 15 minutes or half hour on the project. This works if I am struggling because by 15 minutes, I may be so involved again, I decide to continue. I would have quit 15 minutes ago, but I pushed through and now I don't want to stop!
Do you have any tips for getting and keeping inspiration?
Saturday, May 1, 2010
41 Things: Update
I had recently written that I had 41 Things I wanted to do before my 42nd birthday. I wanted to update how I am doing on this list.
So far I have:
Made Eggrolls (pretty good but need to work on rolling and maybe try a different type of wrapping)
Tried a new recipe (last night made Tempura: yams, potato, shrimp -- it was good!)
Tried a new hairstyle (will do again, probably)
Dressed in a costume in public (plan to do more of this, with better costumes)
Gotten some readers to this blog and some comments (100 views of this blog, 2 different people have commented--thank you guys!)
I'm making progress!
So far I have:
Made Eggrolls (pretty good but need to work on rolling and maybe try a different type of wrapping)
Tried a new recipe (last night made Tempura: yams, potato, shrimp -- it was good!)
Tried a new hairstyle (will do again, probably)
Dressed in a costume in public (plan to do more of this, with better costumes)
Gotten some readers to this blog and some comments (100 views of this blog, 2 different people have commented--thank you guys!)
I'm making progress!
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