Procrastination and Writing Rituals
I used to be the worst of procrastinators. When it came to doing homework in High School I would pretty much do anything but what I was supposed to be doing. On Friday afternoons, Monday just seemed so far away. Why would I do my homework then and get it out of the way when I could miserably spend my Sunday night scrambling to do it instead? And during the week, well I can't tell you how many mornings I spent frantically trying to finish my homework sat on the hallway floor in front of my locker, minutes before class was set to begin. It was ridiculous. People would be standing over me, trying to get in their lockers and I'd be trying to find quotes from Animal Farm to put on my English worksheet.
If ever did manage to force myself to sit down and get something done, something else would always seem far more important. Like cleaning my room. How on earth could I possibly write an essay when my room was in shambles? Not that my room ever seemed to be in anything but shambles. Nonetheless, I would get up out of my chair and start putting the place back together. I'd see my floor for the first time in weeks, unearth old plates from meals far gone by, and things I'd deemed lost forever would suddenly reappear. It wasn't until my room was spick and span that I'd return to my chair, slump forward and finally start what I'd set out to do an hour earlier.
I've long since abandoned the majority of my procrastinator ways. Somewhere between High School and University I realized something astounding. Life is much more fun when you don't have stuff like homework hanging over your head. Honestly, it's amazing how good it feels to know you can sit down to watch a movie and not have to worry about a pile of dishes, or having to go pay some bills. When I'm at work I do all the bits I hate first. It makes the day go by so much smoother.
As good as I am now at getting stuff dealt with, one niggling thing has remained from my high school days. Remember how I said I used to clean my room instead of doing my work? Well now I can't do anything productive writing wise unless my office is clean. A silly habit born of procrastination has morphed into a writing ritual that I simply can't shake off. Whenever I decide to sit down and start typing out a new chapter or maybe edit something, my creativity is stifled by the clutter on my desk. So I have to get up and tidy the thing, and then work my way through the rest of the room until it's all nice and pretty.
So tell me. Are you a big procrastinator? Have you managed to kick the habit like me? And you writers out there, are there any rituals you just have to complete before you can get anything done?
If ever did manage to force myself to sit down and get something done, something else would always seem far more important. Like cleaning my room. How on earth could I possibly write an essay when my room was in shambles? Not that my room ever seemed to be in anything but shambles. Nonetheless, I would get up out of my chair and start putting the place back together. I'd see my floor for the first time in weeks, unearth old plates from meals far gone by, and things I'd deemed lost forever would suddenly reappear. It wasn't until my room was spick and span that I'd return to my chair, slump forward and finally start what I'd set out to do an hour earlier.
I've long since abandoned the majority of my procrastinator ways. Somewhere between High School and University I realized something astounding. Life is much more fun when you don't have stuff like homework hanging over your head. Honestly, it's amazing how good it feels to know you can sit down to watch a movie and not have to worry about a pile of dishes, or having to go pay some bills. When I'm at work I do all the bits I hate first. It makes the day go by so much smoother.
As good as I am now at getting stuff dealt with, one niggling thing has remained from my high school days. Remember how I said I used to clean my room instead of doing my work? Well now I can't do anything productive writing wise unless my office is clean. A silly habit born of procrastination has morphed into a writing ritual that I simply can't shake off. Whenever I decide to sit down and start typing out a new chapter or maybe edit something, my creativity is stifled by the clutter on my desk. So I have to get up and tidy the thing, and then work my way through the rest of the room until it's all nice and pretty.
So tell me. Are you a big procrastinator? Have you managed to kick the habit like me? And you writers out there, are there any rituals you just have to complete before you can get anything done?
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