what gets in my way?
Thursday, December 2, 2010 Reverb 10 prompt #2: Writing. What do you do each day that doesn't contribute to your writing -- and can you eliminate it?
First of all, HA! and then haha. Ha. Ha. What gets in my? Oh, nothing at all. I saw this prompt this morning and immediately sat down and wrote this blog post. Right away. Just like that. No waiting or procrastinating happened at all.
I'm totally lying right now. Can you tell?
Right. So what actually gets in my way? Everything and anything I can find. Here's a short listing of what got in my way this morning:
- Google Reader
- more email
- more twitter
- Maggie
- a phone call
- BSG
- Tim
Um. Are you thinking, "Really? Really Tiffany? Are you that important that you need to check your email that often? Wouldn't you be more productive if you actually got some real work done and stopped checking your email all the time."
Well, of course I would thankyouverymuch.
But, obviously, there's some interesting reward I get from checking my email all the time. So how do I stop?
And, more importantly, how do I find a way to not replace my incessant email checking with some other form of resistance?
Note: if you are interested in doing more, creating more and you haven't read the War of Art yet, go now and read it. For reals.
Here's what I'm going to do for now: give myself windows for email checking. I'll start with every two hours. If I've given up smoking cigarettes, I can surely give up my email addiction.
And part two: I'm going to actually bite the bullet and declare Sunday my internet-free day of the week. No emails, no blogs, no twitter or facebook or any of it. Who knows? I might actually read a real newspaper (gasp!) and talk to some people in person, or at least on the phone.
Is reading this making you anxious? It's making me a little anxious to type it...and I'd say that if you're feeling that anxiety with me, you might need this as much as I do.
So there you have it. I'll let you know how it goes. Just not on Sunday, of course!
PS. I have been trying to strongly curb my facebook addiction and it seems to be working well. I deleted it off my phone and now only check it a couple of times a day. Progress people, this is progress.
PPS. I'd love some advice from you internet-y friends on how you manage having an online "life" while staying productive and not just getting sucked into things!
Reader Comments (5)
I am the WORST at the facebook refresh. I don't know how many times I have to refresh to realize nothing is happening. Sigh. I should totally take it off my phone too.
well, i wish i could give you some advice, but i'd like to join you in taking sundays off the fb, e-mail and bloggong.
good luck to you, tiffany! i'm cheering you on from the east coast : )
hugs and smiles~ jill
So, so, so true. I need to institute a net-free day and, like you, just close the damn email tab. It's open right now, mocking me as I try to attest to this commitment. I'm thinking of making some sort of motivational poster for RIGHT OVER MY LAPTOP to remind me to focus more when I'm on the computer (full disclosure: right now, I'm typing this, listening to NPR online, having an IM convo, and have Twitter and email open) and, important step #2, get off the computer!
I'm feeling this #reverb10 is a great ramp into 2011, how 'bout you? =)
so true. and thanks to my hubby for feeding my addition by purchasing me a smart phone. i love it. but it's oh so very addicting. good luck to us all!
YOURS, MINE AND OURS
I'm glad to see other blogs I follow being a part of this! I am such an email junkie - it's so easy to check it several times during the day!
Now you've got me curious about the War of Art!