Procrastination Busters: Number Four

 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else.  Galatians 6:4

Procrastination Buster Number Four:  Don’t compare yourself to others.

Nothing stops the flow of creativity more than comparing myself to others.  Usually I’m comparing my insides to their outsides.  My rough draft to their finished book. My inside mess to their polished perfection. All my insecurities surface and work stops.

Comparing makes me ungrateful.  I can be pleased and thankful for my work – then I walk into a bookstore and begin to compare.  Questions arise about my abilities. Doubts surface.  Inspiration is lost.  I no longer appreciate the unique words that God has given just to me.

Comparing makes me judgmental. I can find myself looking for the weaknesses of others to bolster my own pride.  That’s ugly.

Comparing pulls me off course.  I can lose heart and focus when I am concerned about what others are doing instead of the work that God gave me to do.

The answer for me is to keep the focus on God and what He has for me to do today.  Then I can appreciate my work, celebrate the work of others, and stay on track.  Simple! Or is it?

How about you? Do you compare?

Betsy

(Photo of Samson and Peanut by Laurie)

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12: 1-2

Related articles

• Procrastination Busters: Number One
• Procrastination Busters: Number Two
• Procrastination Busters: Number Three

Procrastination Busters: Number Three

“To begin… To begin… How to start? I’m hungry. I should get coffee. Coffee would help me think. Maybe I should write something first, then reward myself with coffee. Coffee and a muffin. Okay, so I need to establish the themes. Maybe a banana-nut. That’s a good muffin.”

From the movie Adaptation

I watched my grandchild take his first step recently.  It was wobbly and tentative, but it was a step. With every new writing project you have to take that first step.  You can spend hours agonizing over how to begin, whether you’ll fall.  And you can distract yourself with muffins and Hershey’s kisses (my downfall).  But the best way is to just start – get some words down on paper.  Just sitting down can be a first step that makes all the difference.

Moving forward in your Christian walk can be same.  You can agonize over what to do, whether you’ll fall.  You can distract yourself with all kinds of things. But sitting down and making time for God can make all the difference.

If you don’t start those first steps you’ll never, run or skip or mosey or stroll. (Or complete your book!)

What is the first step for you today?

Laurie

WritingSisters.com

Related articles

• Procrastination Busters: Number One
• Procrastination Busters: Number Two

Procrastination Busters: Number Two

Procrastination Buster Number Two: Schedule Procrastination. 

“The imagination needs moodling,–long, inefficient happy idling, dawdling and puttering.”  Brenda Ueland

Yes. Go ahead and put it on your  day timer.

2:00-3:00 Procrastinate

5:00-6:00 Idle, Dawdle and Putter

There. I already feel relief.  I was going to do it anyway but now I have permission. Guilt is gone!

Plan ahead to procrastinate?  How does that help?  Scheduling time to be idle gives me control over my goof-off times.  Okay, it’s a mind game.  I admit it. But so much of motivation is in the mind.  Having the time scheduled allows me to get to work NOW.

 Constructive down time can be an important part of a busy work day.

How do we do it?

Betsy:

I schedule some down time in the least productive time in my day -5:00-6:00.  I use that time to play on Facebook.  Check the blog. Watch the birds at the feeder.  Knit.  Work a puzzle.  The secret is that I control the time.  It does not control me. 

Laurie:

The trick comes at the end of the scheduled procrastination time when your mind begins to want to stretch the time.  You can combat this temptation by scheduling the down time right before the end of your day or another must-do activity. (carpool, leave for job)  When you are tempted to procrastinate, pull out the day planner and schedule another procrastination session for later that day or the next day.

How do you handle your idle time?

Writing Sisters

I will allow no sleep to my eyes

no slumber to my eyelids,

 till I find a place for the Lord,

   a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.

Ps 132:4-5

Photo of Samson by Laurie  (No animals were injured in the making of this blog.)

Related articles

• Procrastination Busters: Number One

Procrastination Busters: Number One

Procrastination Buster Number One:  Talk to Yourself

“March on, my soul, and be strong!” Judges 5:21

Yes, sometimes we need to talk to ourselves.  We do it all the time – but usually the talk is negative. “You can’t do it.” “You’ll embarrass yourself.” “I will never get published.”   This kind of self talk gets you nowhere.

Instead, motivate yourself to get to work with a good talking-to.  Here are two examples from The Moon and I,  by Betsy Byars.

I say, “Betsy, there is a writer in Kansas who is working on the exact same book that you are working on. And this writer is not sitting on the sofa watching Road Runner cartoons like you are doing.  She is at her word processor. And if you don’t get up this minute and turn off the TV and start writing, you are going to open the newspaper one morning and see KANSAS WRITER WINS COVETED AWARD FOR SNAKE BOOK. And what are you going to do then?”

I say, “Betsy, this Friday you’re going on a trip, and when you come back from your trip, this same lousy manuscript is going to be sitting right here.  And you know how much you hate to come home to a lousy manuscript.  Give yourself a break.  Just rewrite the first chapter.”

We can often talk ourselves into a good day’s work.  

Here’s what we tell ourselves to get going and overcome procrastination:

“Laurie, God gave you this day and you only have it once.  Don’t waste it on Facebook.”

“Betsy, what do you want to write in your journal tomorrow morning?  I finished my chapter or I finished twenty games of solitaire?”

“Laurie, what if you don’t write today and miss something that God has for you.  It could be the book of the century but you Googled chicken recipes instead.”

“Betsy, you are God’s worker and He deserves better than this crossword puzzle.”

A good talking-to can get us going.

What do you tell yourself to get started?

Laurie and Betsy,  The Writing Sisters

Photo of Samson by Laurie Myers (Many treats were involved!)