Procrastin: A New And Nonexistent Drug
Gregg saw the title for my radio show -- "Dr. Lenora Yuen, Procrastin." and thought "Procrastin" sounded like a drug. (Actually, Blogtalk Radio just doesn't allow you many letters in a title.)
In lieu of a drug to eliminate it, you can listen to my radio show with Yuen -- and watch this video, via Gawker.
Something that's been of enormous help to me in keeping me on task in writing is a free alarm clock/stopwatch/timer for Mac by Robbie Hanson. (I sent him a $10 donation, which I think is nice to do if you use somebody's software, even if they make it available free.)
I set the timer for an hour and then I am not allowed to do anything in that hour but write. This means, when I have a line or a paragraph that's not working out, I can't do what I used to -- check my email, blog comments, go on Twitter. And that means that I work out problems by sticking at them, get more work done, and feel better about myself. And I'm ultimately much more productive and with much less emotional strife and self-loathing. (A side-effect of writing, at least until you get it all punched up and crunchy.)
Umm, your iPhone has that timer, stock. And you can run a script in iCal to do that whenever you want, too.
Radwaste at September 21, 2012 4:20 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/09/21/procrastin_a_ne.html#comment-3336898">comment from RadwasteUmm, I know that. I use it every day to wake up. But, there's a difference in having a phone on your phone that goes dark and having one on your computer, right above your page, which you can see as you're working, which is very helpful.
Also, my iPhone timer makes noise that others can hear. I can put my computer on silent or use headphones when I write in a cafe so as to not disturb others, which is important to me.
Amy Alkon at September 21, 2012 6:58 AM
Procrastin -- the drug that you'll get around to taking tomorrow!
Cousin Dave at September 21, 2012 7:38 AM
Have to say after listening I wentband did 15minutes on something I have been deferring for ages, and after an hour and a half I had almost finished. Thank you so much.
robbo at September 21, 2012 2:16 PM
If you were going to get around to trying Procrastin, you'll be glad you waited for NEW Procrastin-8 !
Thenk yew, thenk yew. Don't forget to tip your servers.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at September 21, 2012 3:39 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/09/21/procrastin_a_ne.html#comment-3337353">comment from robboWow, robbo, thanks for saying so.
I have also made some real changes in this arena thanks to the show.
The best is the increase in my productivity as a writer.
My editorial assistant has been gone for a few weeks on vacation. She's going to be amazed, I think, that I have this chapter finished!
Amy Alkon at September 21, 2012 4:13 PM
Amy, this is off-topic, but here's one for the rudeness department.
I'm in a computer lab, and someone right now is conversing on his laptop on Skype. As if cell phones weren't bad enough, we now have public Skyping. I'd like to punch him in his inconsiderate head.
Patrick at September 21, 2012 4:17 PM
Take a nudie magazine to the lab and hold it up behind their head. A really filthy one to
lujlp at September 22, 2012 9:08 AM
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