Got writer's block? Just can't get motivated? Try working in a new location.
Generally, throughout university, I was able to write my papers and study from home, sometimes at a desk and sometimes at my kitchen table. There were times, however, when nothing I did could actually get me going in that environment. On these days, I joked that I needed to "institutionalize" myself by going to the library. The change of surroundings was often enough to help me get writing again or begin committing to memory the historical details of musical compositions.
Today, things haven't changed much. I still often write from home (following my writing ritual), but if I have a looming deadline or there's a hint of procrastination brewing, I'll go to my office to work on my personal research projects. I try to make it as enjoyable as possible, bringing along a French Vanilla from Tim Hortons or going out for lunch to break up the day. Being in a dedicated work environment helps me to be productive, eliminates any distractions that may exist (like laundry or other housekeeping tasks), and allows me to enjoy my free time when I return home after a productive writing session.
So, if you're having trouble powering through in your usual location, why not try something new? A new coffee shop, the local library, a friend's office, the cafe of your local museum -- there are lots of options!
Where's your favourite place to get work done?
Rolo Snowmen
Recently, I was asked to teach a course on Pinterest in Seniors College at Cape Breton University. As a result, I found myself spending more time on the social bookmarking site, often reviewing and organizing my boards and pins. In the process, I stumbled upon one from a few years ago that I thought was cute -- Rolo Snowmen.
Like the Hand Santatizer of a few weeks ago, I thought these would be fun to have on hand to give to friends, neighbours, and coworkers during the holiday season. I had the paper and the paper cutter, so there was no reason not to have some fun.
Here's the result:
I'm still hoping to find some little black top hats to put on them in a jaunty fashion!
What do you make for friends during the holiday season?
Like the Hand Santatizer of a few weeks ago, I thought these would be fun to have on hand to give to friends, neighbours, and coworkers during the holiday season. I had the paper and the paper cutter, so there was no reason not to have some fun.
Here's the result:
I'm still hoping to find some little black top hats to put on them in a jaunty fashion!
What do you make for friends during the holiday season?
Power Through
Are you avoiding reading or writing? Has procrastination taken over? Try a power hour.
I first heard about the "power hour" as a time management strategy and procrastination buster about a year ago. As I recall, it was described to me as a way of completing tasks that you really don't like. You commit to working on a particular task for one hour and at the end of the hour, you can choose whether you continue or not. And if you decide that you're done like dinner, it's a guilt free ending because you were hyper-productive for an hour. I thought this was a great approach for my most hated cleaning tasks (aka all of them).
I really hate cleaning – washing dishes, vacuuming, dusting. Consequently, I avoid it like the plague. The result of this procrastination is that I just end up with a bigger job to tackle – more dishes, more dust, more recyclables to struggle with. Then it becomes overwhelming, which makes it even more difficult for me to get started and I start feeling bad about the situation. To break the cycle, I commit to a power hour. I’ll clean as much as I can in a one hour period and when the hour is up, I’ll do other things I enjoy doing without feeling any guilt. But sometimes I find that I end up cleaning for several hours because once I start and see improvements, I become more motivated to continue.
Of course, the power hour can be applied to other types of work, including your writing project. Here's one description of how it works.
You could do a power hour of reading, a power hour of planning (preparing an outline), a power hour of writing, a power hour of editing, a power hour of typing your bibliography in the appropriate citation style... you get the picture. You can do a power hour of anything. And then go about the rest of your day guilt-free.
So, if you're overwhelmed by your project or feeling guilty about your lack of progress, why not try committing to one power hour each day? You'll get something done that moves you closer to your goal and for the other 23 hours of the day, you can enjoy life without having to beat yourself up.
Have you done a power hour?
I first heard about the "power hour" as a time management strategy and procrastination buster about a year ago. As I recall, it was described to me as a way of completing tasks that you really don't like. You commit to working on a particular task for one hour and at the end of the hour, you can choose whether you continue or not. And if you decide that you're done like dinner, it's a guilt free ending because you were hyper-productive for an hour. I thought this was a great approach for my most hated cleaning tasks (aka all of them).
I really hate cleaning – washing dishes, vacuuming, dusting. Consequently, I avoid it like the plague. The result of this procrastination is that I just end up with a bigger job to tackle – more dishes, more dust, more recyclables to struggle with. Then it becomes overwhelming, which makes it even more difficult for me to get started and I start feeling bad about the situation. To break the cycle, I commit to a power hour. I’ll clean as much as I can in a one hour period and when the hour is up, I’ll do other things I enjoy doing without feeling any guilt. But sometimes I find that I end up cleaning for several hours because once I start and see improvements, I become more motivated to continue.
Of course, the power hour can be applied to other types of work, including your writing project. Here's one description of how it works.
You could do a power hour of reading, a power hour of planning (preparing an outline), a power hour of writing, a power hour of editing, a power hour of typing your bibliography in the appropriate citation style... you get the picture. You can do a power hour of anything. And then go about the rest of your day guilt-free.
So, if you're overwhelmed by your project or feeling guilty about your lack of progress, why not try committing to one power hour each day? You'll get something done that moves you closer to your goal and for the other 23 hours of the day, you can enjoy life without having to beat yourself up.
Have you done a power hour?
Ask Your Friends for Help
Let's face it, even the most productive and disciplined writers sometimes find it difficult to get motivated. Even I -- the person writing a blog to help you achieve your writing goals -- sometimes hit a wall.
Take Monday, November 2nd, for example. I'd been away for more than a week, I'd had a busy weekend, and the clocks had fallen back, making it dark very early in the evening. I arrived home from work around 3:30pm and was supposed to attend a writing session at 7pm. As it got darker and darker, my sofa got more and more comfortable. By 5:30, I knew that if I didn't get moving soon, I would be trapped in a sofa vortex and I wouldn't go at all.
So, I sent my friend and colleague a message asking if we could change the start time of the writing session. Lucky for me, she agreed that we could meet at 6pm instead of 7pm. I jumped off the sofa, grabbed my laptop, and headed immediately to the car. Soon installed at our writing session, we chatted a bit and wrote a bit and ate a few delicious cookies. Two hours later I had 3 pages of an article written.
It's important to know yourself -- to be able to recognize the signs that you're losing motivation -- and then take action to change things up.
And when motivation fails you, don't be afraid to ask your friends or colleagues for help.
Take Monday, November 2nd, for example. I'd been away for more than a week, I'd had a busy weekend, and the clocks had fallen back, making it dark very early in the evening. I arrived home from work around 3:30pm and was supposed to attend a writing session at 7pm. As it got darker and darker, my sofa got more and more comfortable. By 5:30, I knew that if I didn't get moving soon, I would be trapped in a sofa vortex and I wouldn't go at all.
So, I sent my friend and colleague a message asking if we could change the start time of the writing session. Lucky for me, she agreed that we could meet at 6pm instead of 7pm. I jumped off the sofa, grabbed my laptop, and headed immediately to the car. Soon installed at our writing session, we chatted a bit and wrote a bit and ate a few delicious cookies. Two hours later I had 3 pages of an article written.
It's important to know yourself -- to be able to recognize the signs that you're losing motivation -- and then take action to change things up.
And when motivation fails you, don't be afraid to ask your friends or colleagues for help.
Holidays Are For Writing
So you've got a writing deadline and you need to make some progress on it, but you're finding it difficult to carve out the necessary block of time to really get into it? Lucky for you, Wednesday is a holiday in most areas of Canada.
There's no question that you should take time to remember and to attend services in your community. But for the rest of the day, when classes are cancelled and many stores and offices are closed, you should write. (And if the stores aren't closed in your area, pretend they are!)
A holiday is a big gaping hole in your schedule. Your usual commitments aren't there. You can roll out of bed, stay in your PJs, make a cup of coffee, and get down to business. You can be wildly productive even if you dedicate only half of the day to your writing project (and the other half to a worthy endeavor, like watching a marathon of Suits).
So make the most of your holiday time -- remember and then write!
There's no question that you should take time to remember and to attend services in your community. But for the rest of the day, when classes are cancelled and many stores and offices are closed, you should write. (And if the stores aren't closed in your area, pretend they are!)
A holiday is a big gaping hole in your schedule. Your usual commitments aren't there. You can roll out of bed, stay in your PJs, make a cup of coffee, and get down to business. You can be wildly productive even if you dedicate only half of the day to your writing project (and the other half to a worthy endeavor, like watching a marathon of Suits).
So make the most of your holiday time -- remember and then write!
Santa Soldiers for Flu Season
Several years ago, I pinned a creative gift idea to one of my Pinterest boards. It was hand "Santa-tizer." I thought it was particularly cute and it made me chuckle when I saw it, but I didn't make any plans to craft my own version.
Last week, it occurred to me that this might be a fun, simple, festive item to have on hand during the holiday season if friends popped by. So, I made a shopping list and this morning I took a quick trip to Michaels for paper and Dollarama for hand sanitizer.
Here are the results:
I chose the aloe scented hand sanitizer because I thought the green colour of the bottle was appropriate to the season. I'm happy with the way they turned out. My little Santa Soldiers are lined up and ready to combat flu season!
Next up: Rolo Snowmen! Stay tuned!
Last week, it occurred to me that this might be a fun, simple, festive item to have on hand during the holiday season if friends popped by. So, I made a shopping list and this morning I took a quick trip to Michaels for paper and Dollarama for hand sanitizer.
Here are the results:
I chose the aloe scented hand sanitizer because I thought the green colour of the bottle was appropriate to the season. I'm happy with the way they turned out. My little Santa Soldiers are lined up and ready to combat flu season!
Next up: Rolo Snowmen! Stay tuned!
Coding Your Readings
I was recently asked by a student how to tackle a stack of readings. She was writing a term paper. She knew exactly what questions she had to answer in the essay and basically how the essay would be organized according to sections (thanks to a very detailed assignment description). She had all of her research gathered (articles, chapters, web resources) and I had advised her to print them all to read. But how should she read and take notes to quickly accomplish her task?
I suggested coding. I described a very basic approach that I thought would work. Since she already knew what questions she had to answer and the sections that would be in the paper, I suggested she assign each question/topic a letter (A, B, C) and then make a quick reference sheet that provided an overview of the coding (A = general history, B = business strategy, C = competitive advantage, etc). While reading, if she came upon anything that answered a particular question or fit in a certain section, she could highlight it and make note using the coding established. Then, when she actually went to write the various sections of her term paper, she could quickly scan her readings and pull out all of the pertinent information.
For some people, colour-coding helps here as well. The basic principle remains -- you assign a colour to a question, topic, or theme and then use that to help you pull together information. You can use different coloured highlighters, coloured pencils, or your favourite pens or fine-tip markers. Of course, if you have several different items coded, you have to be sure you have enough different colours in your chosen medium, since you can only use each colour once.
How do you keep track of what you're reading and how it relates to the topics you're researching?
I suggested coding. I described a very basic approach that I thought would work. Since she already knew what questions she had to answer and the sections that would be in the paper, I suggested she assign each question/topic a letter (A, B, C) and then make a quick reference sheet that provided an overview of the coding (A = general history, B = business strategy, C = competitive advantage, etc). While reading, if she came upon anything that answered a particular question or fit in a certain section, she could highlight it and make note using the coding established. Then, when she actually went to write the various sections of her term paper, she could quickly scan her readings and pull out all of the pertinent information.
For some people, colour-coding helps here as well. The basic principle remains -- you assign a colour to a question, topic, or theme and then use that to help you pull together information. You can use different coloured highlighters, coloured pencils, or your favourite pens or fine-tip markers. Of course, if you have several different items coded, you have to be sure you have enough different colours in your chosen medium, since you can only use each colour once.
How do you keep track of what you're reading and how it relates to the topics you're researching?
Shimmering Acorn Ornaments
About a year ago, I stumbled upon a photo of painted acorns on Pinterest. They were very pretty and it was suggested they could be used in a glass container as seasonal decor. I thought they might make very cute Christmas tree ornaments if I could figure out how to put a hanger on them. I pinned the idea, but left it untried because I didn't have a source for acorns.
Fast forward to this month, when I went on a trip to Toronto. There was an unexpected side trip that my host probably didn't think I'd enjoy. In fact, he warned me that as we pulled into our destination, I'd hear acorns being crushed under the tires of his car. "Did you say acorns?!?!?" "Yes, acorns." "AWESOME!" While he attended to his task, I picked as many acorns as I could hold in my hands up off the ground. I sealed them in a plastic bag until I got home.
Yesterday afternoon, I opened my ziplock bag and emptied the contents onto a baking sheet. I then put the acorns in the oven for a few hours to kill any nasties that might be living in them. Once cool, I noticed a few of the caps had popped off. Perfect!
I made a few hangers and glued the caps back in place with the hangers between the caps and the acorns. Then I left them to dry overnight.
I should note that in the future if I was to make these again, I'd probably try to drill into the cap near the stem and put a small eye hook in for hanging -- but I don't currently own a dremel or drill (that will hopefully be remedied this Christmas!).
Today, I took a trip to Michaels to purchase some metallic paint. I used to have a lot of craft paint on hand, but much of it was getting old, so I tossed it all and have been buying what I need as the need arises. I wasn't sure what colour I would buy when I went, but once there I decided that copper would be the perfect colour.
Tonight, I painted the acorns and left them to dry hanging from a wooden spoon propped on Mason jars. I also painted the others and propped them on their caps to dry.
I'm very happy with the way they turned out and think they'll have a nice shimmer next to Christmas lights on a tree. I may add a clear coat over top to protect them -- we'll see.
What colour would you paint your acorn ornaments?
Fast forward to this month, when I went on a trip to Toronto. There was an unexpected side trip that my host probably didn't think I'd enjoy. In fact, he warned me that as we pulled into our destination, I'd hear acorns being crushed under the tires of his car. "Did you say acorns?!?!?" "Yes, acorns." "AWESOME!" While he attended to his task, I picked as many acorns as I could hold in my hands up off the ground. I sealed them in a plastic bag until I got home.
Yesterday afternoon, I opened my ziplock bag and emptied the contents onto a baking sheet. I then put the acorns in the oven for a few hours to kill any nasties that might be living in them. Once cool, I noticed a few of the caps had popped off. Perfect!
I should note that in the future if I was to make these again, I'd probably try to drill into the cap near the stem and put a small eye hook in for hanging -- but I don't currently own a dremel or drill (that will hopefully be remedied this Christmas!).
Today, I took a trip to Michaels to purchase some metallic paint. I used to have a lot of craft paint on hand, but much of it was getting old, so I tossed it all and have been buying what I need as the need arises. I wasn't sure what colour I would buy when I went, but once there I decided that copper would be the perfect colour.
I'm very happy with the way they turned out and think they'll have a nice shimmer next to Christmas lights on a tree. I may add a clear coat over top to protect them -- we'll see.
What colour would you paint your acorn ornaments?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
Since treating myself to a KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment several years ago (a pandemic indulgence spurred on by my sister and mother... -
What do you do when you have rosemary in your fridge that has to be used? You bake parmesan herb bread, of course! Several months ago, my bo... -
Over Christmas break, I thought a lot about the need for a better storage solution for my chocolate supplies. As my collection of molds, fla...