Hello, my name’s Mike and I’m a procrastinator.<\/p>\n
For as long as I remember I’ve been a fairly serious procrastinator. I fiddle and faff about on anything I can find until the last minute – until a deadline is looming threateningly over me – before I am urged into action.<\/p>\n
This mostly applies (as with many people) when it comes to writing. I enjoy writing; and once I get started, I\u00a0can often write quite quickly (which is handy, given my ailment)\u00a0and don’t need to produce too many drafts to get something I’m fairly happy with (also handy). I’m not an endless editor or re-worker (again, handy – when leaving things to the last minute, who has the time?) though I will always keep editing and tinkering to fill any little bit of time remaining. It’s getting started that’s the problem.<\/p>\n
The best summary of procrastination I’ve ever seen is Why Procrastinators Procrastinate<\/a>, and the followup How to Beat Procrastination<\/a>. I once spent quite some time reading both these posts in detail, before emailing them around, discussing them at length with colleagues, then reading them again – all instead of starting work on a report I was supposed to be writing. (Seriously.) I have spent hours in the Dark Playground, the Instant Gratification Monkey is often at the helm (I want the t-shirt), and I try to summon the Panic Monster myself, just to get things moving.<\/p>\n Which is why I’m enjoying #blogjune. Every day is a deadline, and though I can procrastinate for short periods of time I can’t put off a post until tomorrow. Tomorrow has it’s own deadline. It’s good practice for the next few years, when I hope to write a lot more.<\/p>\n The hard thing about #blogjune is trying (though not always succeeding) to be interesting on a daily basis. I’m active on social media, and work collaboratively on a whole range of projects, but I’m also quite a solitary person and need regular time alone to recharge. I happily live by myself and regularly travel alone. Writing a blog post every day – mostly after I get home from work – is like having to remain ‘on’ and sociable for another couple of hours, every single day. I have to try to be interesting and engaging, or at least say something.<\/p>\n There, I’ve said something. Now\u00a0I’m going to hand over to\u00a0the Instant Gratification Monkey for the rest of the night. See you tomorrow.<\/p>\n