Procrastination Tuesday

Like many people who work from home, one of my biggest challenges is working where I live. Which is really great! But it doesn't always mean I'm as productive as I could be. Let's face it working where you have all of your favorite stuff means you have to ignore said favorite stuff and actually work. Even when you try really hard to get an early start on things you wind up being distracted from the task at hand. Case in point:

Ted the Turtle

What you wonder does a picture of my turtle Ted have to do with anything. Well, I was originally going to post today about the slow emergence of spring this year and how one of my favorite signs of the season was Ted's awakening from her long hibernation. Then I decided I'd talk about procrastinating. So I went out and took a picture of Ted. She was going to be my example of ways I find myself procrastinating. This led to me uploading said picture of Ted onto my computer, then deciding I needed to put all my Ted photos in one file. This caused me to start a search for that one elusive Ted picture I took of her last summer, and that got me started on organizing and labeling all my picture folders. Now hopefully I'll be able to find the ones I want next time I need them. See what happened there? A domino effect of classic procrastination. Forty minutes gone that I won't get back doing something other than writing my blog post. 

And that wasn't even me intentionally goofing off and then rationalizing it to myself later. You may wonder how I ever get any work done. 

I hide my camera where I can't find it? Nope.

Seriously, I set goals for myself and I try very hard to set limits on doing the things I love most. Besides writing of course, which I truly do enjoy. I limit my TV watching of my favorite shows that I recorded the night before to breakfast time. I make myself do a little bit of exercise after that to get the juices flowing. Then I'm ready for my day and I start working. It might be writing, it might be housework, or gardening outside. Usually it lasts about two hours. If I do housework first, I reward myself by listening to an audiobook while I'm working. Unless of course I'm vacuuming. If I'm doing that I count that toward doing some of my cardio for the day which cuts down on my exercise time some. Usually, after lunch I sit down and really start working on my writing project for the day. I get in two solid hours of work at that point without feeling guilty. I know, I know, why should I feel guilty about working at my writing? That is what I do--and actually get paid for. It doesn't matter. I work where I live and if where I live looks like a pigsty, or if my flowerbeds or garden outside are being choked out by weeds, I see it and I feel guilty. So, if I'm really productive in the morning, I can get started writing if I'm lucky at eleven, get in an hour. Take a lunch break with my hubby, and then get back to work after he leaves. If I don't get the other stuff done before lunch I still make a point of committing butt to chair and working for two solid hours after lunch. 

My hubby, with me and my goofball daughter.

I'm certain that these sorts of things don't just happen to us work from homers. I know there are people out there working out of an office or away from home right this very minute who are doing something other than actual work. You know who you are. You're the one reading this blog post right now. It's OKAY. I won't tell. Thanks for following me by the way.

So, next time you procrastinate, own it. It is human nature to get distracted by things. Maybe it is something we need to do in order to fully live in the moment. Or maybe all of us need to give our serious side a break from time-to-time in order to be able to focus better later. Whatever the case, admit to yourself that checking Facebook for a couple of minutes isn't actually essential to achieving your work goal for the day, then move on. Or maybe take a peek at a fun link like this one: If the Disney Villains Won. After all, figuring out how the Disney story would end if the villains won, or which Alice in Wonderland character you most identify with, might come in handy later. Really it might. Or if that isn't your thing share a comment with me on some of your favorite ways to procrastinate. :P