EP26: On Procrastination & New Projects - Our Last End-of-Year Lesson - TRANSCRIPT

EP26: On Procrastination & New Projects - Our Last End-of-Year Lesson - TRANSCRIPT

Hi! You're listening to Hyba is Writing, and I am your host, Hyba. Last episode, we discussed one of my lessons learned in 2020. In this episode, we'll be discussing another lesson learned, and this is actually going to be our last episode of the season, I think, which means that with this end-of-year lesson, we'll be wrapping up both 2020 and the first season of this podcast! It has been a great experience, and I'm glad that I've been able to share so much this year, not only with my podcast, but also with my blog and my writing that I have shared on my website. If you haven't seen them already, there are a few short stories on there that you can read for free, so please give them a read, and if you feel so inclined, leave me a comment or message telling me what you think. This episode is going to focus on yet another lesson that I learned this year, this time to do with procrastination and Shiny Object Syndrome, which is when we look for new projects to take on in order to procrastinate on existing projects. Or at least, that's how it works for me.

I recently learned that there are different kinds of procrastinators. There are those that procrastinate because they think they work better with that last-minute pressure. There are those that are essentially workaholics who feel bad when they aren't doing anything, which makes them think that they're being lazy and procrastinating. There are those who like to give themselves a schedule and calendar jam-packed with things to do, so that they can procrastinate safely with the excuse that they just have so much to do and cannot work on that thing that they're avoiding! And there are those who like to procrastinate by looking for new things to do, like starting new projects. I think I've experienced some form of all of these, but the one I relate with the most is the last type of procrastinator.

Now, I have mentioned before that I'm juggling dozens of projects. I'm not exaggerating; this is very, very true! I have about 36 projects that are in the works, last time I counted them all up. One of the reasons for this is that Shiny Object Syndrome - I procrastinate on one project by working on or starting another. For a very long time, I jumped from one to the other and just worked on whichever one I felt like working on - and sometimes made new story ideas when I didn't feel like working on any of the projects I already had.

But last summer I decided to put my foot down and work out some solution to this, and my solution was very simple. Because I knew that there was no way I was going to be able to force myself to focus on just one project, I decided I was going to choose a handful of priority projects - these are the ones that I've introduced on this podcast - and work primarily on those. If I wanted to procrastinate on one of them, I would jump to another priority project, and that way, I told myself that I would always feel productive. It wasn't really procrastinating if I was actually getting valuable work done on at least one of these projects.

Now, I've heard that my method of working on many projects at once or concurrently is strange to some other writers out there. I don't think it's the only thing they find strange about my writing process, but that comment is something that I have encountered, and I think what's important to remember here is that it isn't necessarily an advantage, which is how I think a lot of people see it. It's not like I'm going to be writing and finishing a handful of books in the same time that it takes to finish one book. In fact, if anything, this probably means that I'm working a bit slower than if I had the ability or the self-discipline to focus on just one project at a time on a daily basis. But I've tried that, and it didn't work for me.

So the lesson here is to try and understand what your procrastination methods are. How does procrastination work for you? Like I said before, there are different types of procrastinators. I'm sure that it's not a clear cut distinction between them - I myself have felt at certain points in my life that my procrastination fit in with each type of procrastinor. But by understanding what kind of procrastinator you are, you can then work towards finding a solution for yourself.

The important thing to remember is that it doesn't have to be a permanent solution. We're always changing, and so your procrastination methods may change with you, and therefore you may have to adapt your solution. You also want to keep in mind that it may very well be a trial and error sort of process to find a solution that works. At least, in my case, it has been very much an experimental type of experience. I tried different things to keep myself motivated and to keep myself inspired and away from procrastination, but not everything worked. Not everything will work. What works for others might not work for you. Procrastination is often psychological, and each of us is unique in our thinking. So, there's no one size fits all solution to procrastination that I can prescribe. That's something you have to find out for yourself.

My personal solution has been working for me so far, mainly because I have so many projects to keep my mind occupied. Even if I don't feel like writing for any of my books, I can write for my blog. If I don't want to write for my blog, I can record a podcast episode. If I don't want to do any of those, I can make graphics for my books - things like cover designs, posters, and quote graphics.

And, if at any point I still find myself procrastinating, I try my best to engage in something that is still in some form connected to my creativity. I'll discuss books and movies in-depth with my friends. I'll practice drawing or painting or digital art. I'll take a moment to get some administrative work done - like checking over my progress and seeing how I'm doing when it comes to meeting my goals, or backing up my work and organizing my chaotic folders, or updating my website and blog. Sometimes, I like to procrastinate by going out for a walk and reflecting, perhaps daydreaming, or watching a movie or reading a book and taking note of techniques that I find interesting. In other words, when I'm procrastinating by taking part in a slew of other activities that still get my creative brain thinking, I don't feel I'm wasting time.

So far this has been working well for me. I think I'll continue with this solution for now, unless in future I find myself hitting new procrastination obstacles and challenges. Besides, by focusing on my other projects, I'm able to give a little time to everything on my plate, so that I never feel like I've been stuck doing the same thing for a long time, which for me is not the best thing. I need to be switching from one thing to the other constantly, following my whims and inspirations, and forcing myself to focus on one thing alone usually stifles that to an extent where I end up wanting to work on nothing at all. This solution has helped me curb that by both limiting myself so that I'm not always coming up with new projects, and by allowing me to channel that restlessness into a slew of other activities that help me feel productive and that I view as important for my writing and career as an author.

If you're interested in learning more or asking some questions, drop by my blog and leave me a comment there, or contact me at my website or social media. All the links are in the episode description. Thanks so much for tuning in today, and I hope to hear from you soon! Until next time!

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Alright, so this is a couple of months late. Maybe a few. Talk about procrastination!

In this episode, which is the last episode of Season 1, I discuss what I learned in 2020 about procrastination and how I can manage it best. Remember: when trying to find out how to stop yourself from procrastinating or how to minimize how much procrastination you do, it's important to keep in mind that it's got to be tailored to your personal needs. For my part, here is the solution that I was able to come up with to stop procrastinating (or, at the very least, manage it so that it isn't entirely impossible to work with). 

This episode was recorded and edited on December 25, 2020. Let's just say, my procrastination management solution isn't entirely perfect. But hey, what is? Moving into 2021, I'm hoping to find even more effective ways to manage my procrastination. 

I hope you enjoy this episode!

Until Season 2, my friends!