FIGHTING PROCRASTINATION AND THE TIME SUCKING DEMONS...
I have become a little obsessed with momentum, impact, goals, productivity, efficiency and time-management as of late (or for always, whatevs). I have been reading tons of incredible blogs and books about these topics and I am soaking up tons of useful and applicable information. World domination is coming soon...;)
I read something today in my latest book called "The Art of Non-Conformity" by Chris Guillebeau that really resonated.
Chris was addressing those non-productive days when you just sit there and waste time, but you put in the hours so you somehow justify to yourself that you made progress. He went on to say that if he was to log how he spent his time on those days, the list would look something like this:
1. Shuffle papers around
2. Leave Gmail or Outlook open all day
3. Read the news...over and over, from multiple websites
4. Become upset about an email thread and spend 30 minutes crafting an elegant reply (bonus points for using passive aggressive language).
5. Rearrange file cabinet
6. Pay bills and check online banking
7. Check up on a few of my favourite blogs.
I gasped and laughed out loud at each point because I have done them all! I had a particularly loud belly chuckle at point #4. I totally do this! Do you? The worst part about it for me is that I sometimes craft the cheeky email and never even send it...I just needed to get my reaction out in words. Sometimes you just have to get it out...but not sending is always the better option. Personal literary vent sessions are good - but only for the duration of the time it takes to write them. Then it's time to move on.
If there is no focal point for the day, a plan of attack or a list of action items to complete then it is so easy to get caught up in wasting the day away with mundane, meaningless, but time filling tasks.
So, how many of the activities from the list have you sinfully taken part in?
And what are some tips you have to overcome those time sucking demons?
Yours in productivity,
Kyle
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