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2/2 '15
All the things.
All of them dammit.
Looks like I'm getting a jump start on the whole "Write a Crap-Ton in February" thing some of us are doing with L. M. Lopez.
I want to accomplish a lot. Not just with the writing. With life. When I look back over my lifetime, (yeah - pull up a chair - it's like that) I see a lot of wasted time. I'm not here to make excuses or anything, I just want to fix it. I like to think of myself as a problem solver, and not a 'problem talker abouter'. Sure, I appreciate some good planning, but...
Anyway. I think that I've figured out the reason. Call it ADHD, call it ping-ponging, or call it whatever you like - I don't finish things. All my life I get really excited about some new project or some creative concept, I start it, and then a few things happen:
1. I get bored with it. Really bored with it. And I drop it.
2. I think of some other new project/concept, get really excited about that thing, and drop the current thing.
3. I tell everyone about what I'm planning on doing, feel like I've done it, and say "Ahhh - eff it." and drop it.
Before you say anything - I know that I'm not alone here. The world is chocked full of peanuts. Errr... of people who do the same thing. (Peanuts just goes with 'chocked full'. I had to.)
But that's just it - it's long past time I do something more. It's time I started to accomplish some things. This has been a large part of the end of my last two serious relationships, and each time it... built in intensity. I've made steps since then, but not enough progress for my liking.
I need to keep myself on track. It's way too easy to fall to the side or be distracted by some new shiny thing.
Okay, okay. Shut up already and tell us what you plan to do about it.
You may not have actually said it, but you were thinking it.
So here's the deal: I'm going to re-focus myself. At first, my intent is to do this three times every day. Those times will not be specific hours in the day, but after specific events:
1. First thing in the morning. Before I head out to work every day, I will review my list. Then I will meditate. (Duration TBD.)
2. When I get back to my hotel room, I will review my list.
3. Just before bed, I will review my list.
So what's on my list?
That's actually what I'm here to discuss. I'm looking for broad categories to put things under.
The format that I'm currently picturing is this: Separate sheets in a spreadsheet. Physical Health, Financial Health, Creativity, and Work/Career. Something like that. Then on those sheets I can do the breakdown of tasks and goals. The details aren't too important for the purposes of this conversation though. I just need to work out the basic 'infrastructure'.
Simplicity is key, of course. I want this to be about doing things, not spending time working on the spreadsheet. I do, however, want to be smart about this start.
So what do you think? Have I covered all the 'primary categories' with Physical Health, Financial Health, Creativity, and Work/Career? If not, what do you feel I'm missing?
Strategies can be a distraction in and of themselves and can distance you from Getting Shit Done.
Have you ever thought about getting tested for ADD or ADHD? Getting the meds?
I say this because I tried strategies, schedules, lists, spreadsheets, everything, for 42 frigging years, when I could have just gone with medical science.
i also know, from my own experience and from pushing undergrads to finish writing their first play, finishing projects is its own skill set which takes practice. Once the initial creative buzz wears off, and it's Just Work, and there's no cheerleading squad, finishing a project is a skill in itself.
I think you can do this.
Many times. Was tested twice.
I'm not a 'severe case', but I am a case.
Second time around, I talked to the doc and he (not being a psychiatrist) recommended someone. I then proceeded to get distracted by something shiny and never followed through.
In the end, I very much prefer to not use meds if I can get away with it. Not being a severe case, I've made my way and feel like I'm in a pretty great place now, so I'm good for the moment. If I can improve things from here, I'll be happy. If I get into a more 'stable' or 'traditional' place in life (read as: living somewhere consistently and having a normal 'job') I will most definitely reconsider.
"Once the initial creative buzz wears off, and it's Just Work, and there's no cheerleading squad, finishing a project is a skill in itself."
Yeah. I've never heard it put quite that way, but you're spot on. I think that this is the particular hurdle that I'm most trying to climb.
And for the record? You're one of my people. I will _always_ want your opinion. I consider myself fortunate to have such council.
have you ever seen the movie Ryan? It's an animated short film about an animator & his process.
Regarding meditation - you may want to do the 'wake up in the morning and write before your dreaming self comes to full consciousness' thing. Sometimes ideas both for life and for fiction come to the surface that way. It's not exactly meditation. Or for you, you may want to draw instead of write, see what's under the surface before your practical mind takes over.
I'm going to think about the write/draw first thing... err thing. You're right, of course, but I have this mental picture of gathering myself, waking calmly, and preparing for the day that speaks to meditatio. Stay tuned.... ;)
I attended a company retreat recently. The boss has been reading (as always) and came across the idea that making a list of goals sometimes make you feel like you've "already done it," which can be counterproductive... so he asked us to make lists of impediments to our goals.
So, with regard to the schedule/goals/etc ... I think it's a great idea. I haven't done one yet (but I might) because the idea is overwhelming to me, so I started thinking about what would make it less overwhelming. The Wildcard category definitely makes it less overwhelming - you can put stuff there that you know you want to do and that you don't want to forget about, but that you don't want to focus on now. Writing stuff down like that keeps my brain from constantly bringing up the tickler, "Better do that thing, you'll forget it, or write it in a good place, we don't have a good place, better do that thing ..." loops of time-wasting. Also, keep your goals measurable - so for example "get in shape" - not a goal. "Work out 3x/week" - goal.
Regarding ADHD - I have it. I don't take my meds. Here's what helps me w/success, and your mileage (haha) may vary. I reduced my coffee intake to one cup of real joe per day - always. I have decaf, sometimes I have tea (even caf tea, but usually green tea or decaf), so when I sleep, I SLEEP. Getting a decent amount, but more than that, good quality of sleep makes me less distracted. It took a week or so to kick in, but when it did - it was AMAZING. I am still distracted, of course, but distraction doesn't OWN me the way it used to. Typing this out is actually the first time I have thought about this. I originally reduced the caffeine to take the meds, because the meds are stimulants and caffeine + meds was making me jumpy. Then I forgot to take the meds (I know, I am a supergenius!) and I realized that I was more focused than I was before and I was getting a lot more done at work ... the caffeine reduction helped, and also ... we come full circle ... a task list of measurable items. Ta-da!
Writing things down definitely helps me. That's one of the reasons I feel like this could really help.
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You don't sound crazy. Or, if you do, I don't detect it, which may or may not say something about me.
I like the idea of a Wildcard. Going to add that.
I also like the idea of date/time references, but I predict that may be less important for me overall. The idea for me is to keep making forward progress and I suspect that 80% of that battle will be fought in the repeated 'checking in' with my list. It will keep me honest.
I can just picture the mental conversation now "Hmm. Haven't made any progress on Project X in a loooong time. Need to get on that before the thing..."
What? I don't REALLY talk to myself.
Much.
By the time I was done, my Inner Biker/Viking Warrior was roaring. I haven't felt that good at the end of a workout in... ever. I left there (as some say) 'energized'. I wanted to smash things.
And it felt gooooood...
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