It happens to a lot of freelance writers.
You have content assignments lined up. You go on to create a schedule, but instead of sticking to the schedule like a fly on its nemesis, the all-mighty flypaper, you end up doing other things – click on links shared by friends on Facebook, browse blogs that have nothing to do with what you’re supposed to be doing, play mobile games, and the list goes on for miles.
At the end of the day, nothing that needs to be done gets done, and that feeling of failure takes over. And the blaming game begins:
- My creative juices aren’t flowing.
- I need to read more.
- I don’t have time.
- I haven’t written enough on the subject. I need to do more research.
- I need to go back to school.
- I’m not an expert.
- The chores are waiting.
- I deserve the break.
- I need the time to relax.
- Common sense has been eluding me lately.
- My mind is all but flying to the moon.
Takeaway:
Distractions come in all shapes, sizes and forms. And while some distractions lead to good things, most others are nothing but excuses if they’re the reasons we’re not getting ahead in our life goals.
What’s not so sweet about what’s supposed to be sweet
There’s this bad habit that I can’t seem to shake off. I’ve tried once to get it off my system. I won the battle, at first. But it came back to plague me with a vengeance. I’m talking about my addiction to Candy Crush.
I successfully uninstalled the app from my mobile device. A few days later, I was downloading it from Google Play again. What’s worse, nowadays, a day doesn’t seem complete without me spending a few minutes that oftentimes stretch to hours zapping those candies, chocolates, candy-bombs, and what-have-you – time that I could have spent doing productive work.
Pathetic, I know.
But if you’ve been through a similar experience, you probably know the feeling. Unfortunately for me, that time I can never get back again. I can only hope that tomorrow is another day.
Takeaway:
Did you see what just happened there? I was trying to find an ally by saying “… if you’ve gone through a similar …”, which I already know I have. What I was really doing was justifying my behavior.
And then, this: “I can only hope tomorrow is another day.” Of course, tomorrow is another day! What am I thinking? What I should be doing is resolve that tomorrow there will be no more Candy Crush for me, and for good.
It starts with baby steps
All work and no play makes Jane a dull girl.
Sure. I get it. I know at least one person out there who will tell me that I’m being normal after a hard day’s work. (I believe I haven’t hidden the fact that I still hold a 9-to-5.) But Tom Ewer, a successful freelance writer, started his freelance writing career in just one hour a day. (Go ahead and click the link and read for yourself what he has to say.)
Back already?
Good.
I thought I just lost you. 😉
If Tom Ewer can start a freelance writing business in just an hour a day, then there’s always that one chance that we can do the same, right?
- But he’s a native English speaker!
- He writes good.
- He’s got connections.
- See? He’s rubbing shoulders with the greats in the industry – the likes of Corbett Barr, Alexis Grant, Carol Tice, Ali Luke and Sophie Lizard!
Did I just read your mind?
Excuses, right?
Final word
Sometimes, it’s about discipline. Sometimes, it’s knowing your priorities. Most of the time, it’s not taking your eyes off the prize. And sometimes, it’s knowing how to listen to the sound of your own voice.
All these voices around me stop me, disable me, block me from listening to my own voice! – Nouf Alfadl
Image credit: prozac1 | FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Latest posts by Maricel Rivera (see all)
- Reading List: On Success, Launching Like Steve Jobs, and the Aggregation of Marginal Gains - February 5, 2016
- [INFOGRAPHIC] How the Freelance Universe Looks Like and How to Work Your Way Through It - January 29, 2016
- [FREE DOWNLOAD] How to Get Started Freelance Writing When You Don’t Know What You’re Doing - January 22, 2016
- ZipBooks: A Better Way to Do Bookkeeping - November 24, 2015
- Why Poor Writing Is Bad for Business - August 31, 2015
Hi Maricel,
I think, it was your black/white image on BAFB which made me click to see your blog. It looks lovely in black/white and maybe I’ll try to make a black/white image of myself and put it on my blog as well.
I too see myself wasting some time online instead of working. Something gets me slipped and then time keeps running out. But thank God, I don’t play games at all. The other day someone sent me an invite to candy crush and I didn’t know what it was. She sent the invite so many times after that and I ignored every time. I saw later that it was a game. I used to play games more than a decade and a half ago, but not any more. That time I was an addict to games, as well as IRC. I’m fine now without these. Nor am I an addict of FB or twitter. Thank God again for that!
Unless they need researching first, I write my blog post drafts in a notebook by hand, sitting in a park. No distractions when writing. Yesterday I brainstormed and wrote more than 10 post ideas for my next posts. I think it’s nice and cool to write post drafts sitting in the park.
Hi Raspal,
Thanks for visiting! This b/w one is a better version of the original, so I got stuck with it. 🙂
I wish I had your discipline. But baby steps, right? I’m finding that I’m spending less and less time with the game though. Soon, I should be over it.
(Wow, even to my ears, that sounded pathetic – making excuses for something that’s probably not going to improve my freelance writing career, let alone my life, other than help me while the time away when I get bored. Uh-huh, I got books to turn to when that time comes. Misguided priorities … *sigh*)
In my case, I’m more productive writing alone, usually the very early hours of the morning when everybody is still in bed. Hmmm, maybe I should try writing in a park, too. Might work, who knows? 😉
Maricel Rivera recently posted … Guest Blogging Is Dead as a Door Nail, So Says Matt Cutts
Writing in a park isn’t needed if you’re good writing in the early mornings. I put that point for those whom it seems difficult to write. You get some extra oxygen in the park, to activate the brain to write.
I’m able to write in the early mornings at home too, but since I like to go to the park to meditate and walk, I do the writing just after this. Plus it helps being away from the computer and social media.
Games which help increase our word power and exercise the brain are good, but others which waste time do no good. Maybe you could try to indulge in one of your hobbies. Like you said, reading.
Or, you may try using a daily chart/calendar. What you do is to print a large sized monthly calendar (even yearly if you want) on a big sheet of paper and stick/hang it to a wall. Each day you’re successful breaking/creating your habit, mark the day with a big red cross. Soon, it will start looking like a chain. If you fail, don’t mark on that day. Your mind won’t like seeing a break in the red chain. Try this and see if it works for you.
Hi Raspal,
You know, I’m good at plotting my schedule. But I’m so bad at sticking to it that I sometimes want to kick myself in the shin. I think the big calendar with red crosses is a great idea. If it’s big enough, it should be hard to miss. I might as well try that one.
When I don’t feel like writing, I read. Before I go to sleep, I read. Well, they say reading and writing go together, that you can’t write if you don’t read. I believe that.
As for the photo, I uploaded it to Google Plus and made it black and white from there. I forgot which special effect I used, but there are several choices. 🙂
Maricel Rivera recently posted … Guest Blogging Is Dead as a Door Nail, So Says Matt Cutts
Oh, forgot to ask – did you use some special effect on the pic other than making it black/white? Which program did you use?