Convener:
Imogen Butler-Cole
Participants:
Tamsin Clarke, Matthew Smallwood, Leyla Asadi, Jannifer Tan, Kelli, Verity
Standen, Rose Biggin, Mhairi Grealis, Mary O’Connor, Jamie Jubairi
The
Procrastinator’s Support Group will be convening at the Jungle on the Barbican
roof on Saturday 3rd March at 4pm. Please try some of the techniques
below in the meantime, see how they work for you, report back! If you can’t be
there in person we can skype you if you provide me with your email id/ skype
id.
Summary of
discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:
Lists:
Transfer a to-do list onto lots of different coloured
post-its, written in differently coloured pens. Put them all up on a board
(perhaps in a particular configuration depending on importance/ effect on
consuquent topics). Then you’ll pick them according to different (aesthetic)
priorities. When actioned move onto a separate board to the “done” list is as
concrete as the “to do”, not just crossed out words on a list
Similar arrangements on desk-top with folders – one
side is to do, the other side is done.
Self-Management:
Give yourself a line manager – can be yourself or
someone else. Fix dates by which you need to report back to them about
particular tasks.
Or a co-worker/ buddy that you check in with weekly/
daily to see how you’ve been doing.
Ask yourself what advice you’d give somebody else
Deliniate a space for work – avoid the bedroom if
possible or if in the bedroom can you somehow define that space?
Make sure you shower/ get dressed/ wear shoes
(particular shoes?)/ go for a run/ walk/ stretch before you start work. And
NEVER open the computer/ work book until you have done these things
Or if not first thing schedule a time for exercise at
some point in the day – this can also be used as a reward/ incentive
Even just take the stretch you do in bed in the
morning a little bit further – do it for just 5 minutes to get your body (and
therefore your mind) working
Know when your productivity is best and schedule
yourself to work within these times/ work to your own rhythm
Open Space yourself: ring the bell, check in (how am I
feeling, what would I like to achieve) call sessions for yourself, write them
up on a schedule board, decide when to attend each
“Become masculine” – don’t multi-task, concentrate on
one thing only until it’s completely finished
Scheduling:
5-10-15 minutes (works best on admin-type tasks): if
you have five tasks allot each of them 5 minutes. Set an alarm. After 5 minutes
move on to the next task. Do this with all tasks, then go back and spend 10
minutes on each, then 15. You’ll be amazed at how quickly things get done.
Or allot half an hour per task. Spread sheet schedule
with coloured sections for different tasks?
Have allotted “working hats” for each project – the
kids show has a kids hat that you wear when you’re working on that project.
When you’re going to work on the history play you change to the history hat. Or
other appropriate items of clothing.
On a mac you can set up different accounts, some
without internet access. Create accounts for different projects so you have to
log off and go into the other specific work account if you want to work on
something else – hence avoiding blurry lines between projects
Limit the time you spend online – give yourself
allotted hours when you will be online/ will not be online. And let other
people that you are responsible to know when these will be.
Self-Care:
Stop feeling you have made no progress. What is
progress? Give yourself small achievable goals and acknowledge when you’ve
achieved them.
Make a list of small achievements over the day/ week/
year
When it all feels overwhelming: Make a list of things
you’re grateful for
Change the way you speak to yourself, treat yourself
with the care you’d treat a child: “this is what I’ve achieved” not “I’m a bit
crap, I achieve nothing”
If you get overwhelmed take off a day or two – however
much time you can possibly allow yourself – and ban yourself from doing
anything that begins with the words “I must”. Take play dates. Treat yourself.
Walk, swim, bake, buy a hat, do whatever stimulates your idea brain
Make a pi-chart of yourself in 7 sections, name each
section according to what you are made up of. Balance it
Spider-graph: health, money, friends, relationships,
work, spirituality as points around the edge. Centre is zero, outside edge is
10, put a dot along the line to show where you are now. Try to balance the
spider into a nice circle…
Goals:
Set achievable goals – write 500 words/ day – or whatever
works for you – and when you have achieved them allow yourself to recognize
this fact. Reward yourself! Take time off before you move on to some other task
Rewards
Biscuit breaks – don’t have any until you’ve done a
specified task
Schedule after-work drinks with other freelancers
cause you don’t get to go to the pub after work with your colleagues
Create any reward system for yourself that works for
you!
Texts/ techniques/ writing/ videos on the topic:
The Artist’s Way (good self care/ routines/ creativity
in everyday life in turn helps stimulate creativity in working practice…etc)
TED talks: Happiness in Business (give goals, don’t
push them, allow yourself to realize you’ve achieved them); Creativity and the
Self) Amy Tan?)
Blog called “the fluent self” you meet yourself where
you are
Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategy Cards, available online
for £30 ;)
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