3 Tips for Writers to Overcome Procrastination and Increase Productivity
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by Kate Garvey
Being busy and productive are not the same. Like most self-employed people, I’ve had my struggles with procrastination and times when I’m not productive. Often I find the things that matter the most get pushed aside by things far less important. Rather than looking for new opportunities to make money, I’m filing phone numbers or having a lengthy conversation with someone I could have emailed. This year I’ve decide to increase productivity and actually plan on working less. So far, it’s working. Here are a few tips that have helped.
1. Clean your desk. Like most full-time writers, my office is inundated with books, magazines, scraps of papers, articles, reference manuals, and all the tools of the trade. Disorganization come naturally to me and the thought of cleaning my entire office can cause body spasms. However, having a clean desk encourages me to work and allows me to focus on my next article. The first time I cleaned my desk, I did it by stacking all my papers on the floor behind me. Even if you need to take everything off your desk and put it in a bag or another room, give yourself a clean place to work. Once you’ve done this it’s much easier to focus on what really matters and consider what you really need in your office and on your desk.
2. Break things down in small steps. Whether you’re writing a book or sending out your first query letter, it’s easy to get emotionally overwhelmed by a potentially large event or future project. However, books can only be written one word at a time. If you’re sending out a query letter, all you’re doing is send out a query letter, you don’t need to be thinking about what will happen if or when someone accepts your proposal. Instead, focus on writing the best query letter possible.
3. Work in half-hour segments. This tip came from the wonderful book, Overcoming Procrastination by Neil Fiore. Dr. Fiore recommends learning to work in short uninterrupted half-hour time segments. You focus on only working one half-hour. During your working half-hour you cannot answer the phone, go to the bathroom, check the mail or get a drink of water. If you do, it doesn’t count. At the end of each half hour work segment, take a break. His belief is that most people can do anything for a half hour.
This has helped me increase productive tremendously. When I make a half-hour commitment to something, whether its working on my book, an article or cleaning my house, I accomplish a great deal and usually can keep working for a much longer period. I’m also less frustrated in my life, because I’m able to focus.
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Topics: kate Garvey |
July 26th, 2007 at 9:03 am
Hey, Kate,
Gee. We must be on the same wave length. I also wrote about tips to increase productivity on my blog at www.workingwriterscoach.com today!
Here’s to a productive day for both of us!
July 26th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
Kate,
Great article!
These are three tips I can put to use right away.
I hope you have had a productive week, and I hope you have a fun weekend ahead of you!
truly,
Sylvia C.