Somehow, it’s easier for me to get started on a small project than on a large project that will take days, maybe even months to finish.
Part of it is that I always feel overwhelmed by the scope of the work. Usually, my inner critic then start to shriek about the amount of time and hard work that is needed to get the job done. And am I really sure that I have the necessary skills to do the job?
Sometimes I just curl up in a figurative corner, convinced that I can’t write. Naps are good then, even if it’s the middle of the day. Other times I do something else; anything else than what I’m supposed to. Then there are days when I get the courage from somewhere, and start on the project. Because once I’ve started, I get hooked, and I no longer have a problem. It’s only the beginning that I can’t stand.
Anyhoo, I faced the "start of a big project crisis" yesterday. So I spent hours doing something else – I wrote a press release on the Protection from Harassment Bill, walked it through the client approval process and then sent it to a number of media contacts.
Felt good about being able to make my procrastination measures productive in this particular instance. I’m not usually good with that.
I also felt bad that I was actually procrastinating on the work I had actually scheduled for that day, which I only started working on around 15h00.
3 comments:
I think I feel like this almost every day. For me a huge thing is when I have to start something new that I haven't done before, or haven't done in a long time so it feels unfamiliar. It is always fine in the end but the anxiety I feel and reluctance to start is ridiculous!
Stage fright - but for writing.
well don't feel bad, at least it was productive, had the same problem myself...
Post a Comment