Month: February 2016

Two minute rule

Lynn

I meant to mention this earlier, but I started a two minute rule on Tuesday (2/2). The rule is that I write for two minutes absolutely every day, no exceptions. There are no exceptions because—seriously—it’s only two minutes. Except in truly tragic circumstances, it’s just unlikely I’ll ever have any legit excuse to skip a two minute writing session. It’s only two minutes!

Since then, I’ve successfully kept to the rule.

My word counts have been small (very, very small). I had the urge on the very first night to just give up and go to bed without writing, but it took only a second at the computer as I went to shut it down to realize how ridiculous it would be to not write for those two minutes.

Here are the results:

Tues: 22
Wed: 30
Thur: 53

I deliberately chose not to do 5 minutes because it just felt like too big a number. There’s a lot of baggage associated with 5 minutes. I’ve often used that number for sprint writing and it has developed “associations.” :D

Update:

22
30
53
23
1
36
22
47
0

I held on for 8 days, until yesterday. I just didn’t want to do it. I had a memorial service to go to and I had plenty of opportunity to get this done before and after that service, but I still didn’t want to do it, and yesterday was one of those days where it just didn’t feel worth doing.

I don’t know what to do about this. All I know is that I feel like I’m beating my head against a wall made of reinforced concrete.

A few days of thinking and here’s where I am

Lynn

I’m not getting enough quality sleep and I’m reading too much fluff. Fluff is forums, blogs, NPR, articles about procrastination (it’s a running joke around here that I often procrastinate by reading articles on how to stop procrastinating).

I’m going to find some good books and stuff fiction reading into every spare moment I have in my day (unless I find myself writing, then I’ll dump everything but writing, because hey, I’ll be writing again!).

Still no decisions about accountability. I think it’s because I don’t trust myself. I mean, how often do I say I’m about to get started—or I’m going to write some awesome number of words—and then I just don’t get started at all?

Yeah.

{frustrated!}

The usual tricks aren’t working

Lynn

I’m going to try creating a few new tiny habits* for myself since I’m having so much trouble getting started this year.

I’m definitely in an uncomfortable place with my mental motivation to work toward my goals this year. I don’t seem to care if I reach them or not. (Because if I cared, I know I’d be working toward them.) I don’t know if the holiday break was to blame for knocking me off my routine or I’m struggling because of the short, cold days. I’ve been fighting off some kind of sinus illness, although I’m not sure what exactly, just that I’ve been stuffy and haven’t been sleeping well. I’m tired a lot, and it’s hard to get excited when I’d rather fall asleep sitting up than try to come up with the next sentence in my book.

I really don’t like the cold and I hate trying to write when I can’t get comfortable. Doesn’t seem to matter how high I turn my heat, I still feel cold after I sit still for more than a few minutes, and this just creates negative feelings about my writing time and those feelings are reinforced every time I sit down with my computer.

All in all, I’m not having a great start to the year. I mean, it’s already 1/12th over and I’m at a negative word count for the year. That adds up to 0% of my overarching goal of 1,144,000 words written.

So here’s what I’m doing to try to overcome this lethargic start to 2016:

  • Create a list of rules and habits I want to cultivate for a better life (I should call it something positive, right?)
  • Write down my reasoning for the rules, the why of it, so when I get moody or impulsive I can remember why it’s important that I follow the rule or stick to the habit-in-progress (until I’m sticking to it without thought, it’s not a real habit**)

I’m going to post the rules in a new post***, and then when I restart my accountability posts, I’ll have something specific to be accountable for. Wish me luck. 2016 is the year of just doing the best I can every day. :D

*The difference between tiny habits and mini-habits is difficult for me to explain, but with tiny habits it seems the most important aspect is to do the tiny habit and not even attempt to do more until the habit is well and truly set. With mini-habits, I get the feeling that it’s much more about getting yourself started so you’ll keep going and do more, and not in any real sense true habit formation.

**It does bug me when people call things that take effort to remember to do or make yourself do a habit. They’re not habits. Habits are supposed to be automatic behaviors, right?

***Maybe not.