Procrastination. You’ve probably procrastinated on something one time or another in your life. I know I have. Sometimes, you take your laptop out and start to write and then an hour later you realize you’re on YouTube looking at kittens which is completely different than sitting down and doing the thing.
Oops, right?
Don’t worry, you’re not the only one who does it. We all do. It’s something every writer has fallen into. There’s no easy fix to procrastination. But there’s always something you can do to help yourself.
Small Chunks
One way that some people help themselves get through the urge to procrastinate is to cut up the big giant ball of mess into tiny bits. Do a small piece of the work and then do another small piece and then you can get through everything and by the end you will be finished with the work as a whole. This should help you see that you’re getting something done so that you have the motivation to finish. I do this when I have some kind of big project, like a paper due for class. I hate having to write essays and papers and so I wait until it’s the last minute to do it all and stress myself out even more. So, doing it in little pieces helps me not stress like I would if I waited to do it all when it was due.
Rewards
Another option is to add rewards for finishing each of those tiny bits. This can give you a sense of accomplishment because it’s a reward for what you do. This makes you want to do more so you can get that reward. Some people need the reward to be able to see that what they’re doing isn’t just all work but can be fun as well. This is something I do when something is looming over me and I don’t want to do it. I tell myself ‘okay. You know what? I’m going to write three hundred words of this project and for my reward I’m going to watch an episode of Doctor Who’. Doctor Who is one of my favorite shows and it gives me something to look forward to.
Accountability Partners
You can also find a partner or group to keep you accountable. If you have a hard time staying focused and finishing the thing, you can always ask someone to help keep you on track. Maybe you want them to check in on you every couple of hours and see how the project is going. Or maybe this is someone who can give you words of motivation so that you can feel like you’re doing a good job and that you can do this. If you need outside affirmation to continue writing, this encourages you to keep going even when it feels like procrastinating would be easier.
Everyone has a different way of working through procrastination. One size does not fit all. Sometimes, we’re hardest on ourselves, especially when it comes to our own procrastination. We get so upset and that makes it worse for ourselves. With these tips, you can figure out what works best for you. Don’t be too hard on yourself and remember, we learn from our mistakes.
Steve the WriMo Forum 