glah

[sigerson]

Having trouble with motivation.
I need to keep writing these papers; one has 6.5 pages done, and one is only 3 pages long so far. And both of those will eventually need serious editing and reference-buffing. Both are due on the 13th, and both *will* be ready by then.

Working at the school computer lab is sometimes extremely productive and sometimes a total waste: if I'm having trouble with a passage, I get distracted...so Mr. Swivels Around In His Chair Compulsively and Mr. Walkman While I Write end up being major obstacles. I can handle a fair amount of noise--it's the "single distraction in otherwise silent room" that drives me bananas. So today I tried working at home (that's how the three pages got written).

The apartment is a big ball of catwax, though. The tree needs to be taken down; M's been doing the dishes far more than he should; there's an Oob that wants to sit on my notes; and I've left so many things unfinished and out since Thanksgiving. And there's a bed with a warm comforter.

I need time to concentrate. I need to force myself to concentrate. "You can't revise if there is no draft!" I say to myself, so that I'll put something down on paper--including "Insert transition here" or "This needs editing." It has to

The problem isn't my research or my topics: I finally have two decent theses, a fair amount of research, and three or four page outlines. I'm *ready* to do these papers. They'll be okay, if not brilliant, and each has the potential to say something really cool about their topic.

The problem is that I'd rather just fall asleep right now, or prepare for New Year's, or cuddle the cat.

So how do you motivate yourself when your inner five-year-old is whining "Don't waaaannnna do it!"? (Besides backing away from LJ, of course. I'm disconnecting the computer in half an hour.)

Tomorrow I'm taking da Lappy and going to Dunkin Donuts in the morning, just to try a different work environment.

ETA: Another 2.5 pages, which are slightly more coherent than what preceded them. Yay?

Comments

[fairoriana.livejournal.com]

I second different working environment.

[iresprite.livejournal.com]

Yeah, different working environment will work wonders for you.

For me, it's fairly circumstantial. I can get a good amount of work/writing done in a cafe with my music (or decent enough background music).

On the other hand, there's the wild-eyed midnight sessions that have such nostalgic appeal for me.

[stealthmuffin.livejournal.com]

Different working environment and/or brief interlude working on something else. Go to someplace with tea or maybe the BPL and write a villanelle. Then, while you're still there, work on some notes about either paper.

For me, going for a long aimless walk helps. 2-3 hours type walk. Also, never underestimate the value of talking to yourself.

[2h2o.livejournal.com]

Staying up late has always worked for me as a means to generate volume that can be edited later. Of course, if I don't have time to edit, or I end up too tired, the editing is futile and the paper sucks.

[xclamationpt.livejournal.com]

Funny. Getting up early has been successful. You get to sleep, which is what you really want to do anyways, get up early when everything is quiet and there are no distractions--no one else is up, no one else is sending anything or doing anything, and then your mind is fresh and awake and then it's 9am and you've been awake for three hours with a ton of work to show for it. =)

I'm having similar troubles at work though. J's coming back tomorrow and I have to finish my grad school apps and prepare for the biggest new years party evah. Too bad I can't take my office to dunkin donuts. I really miss dunkin donuts too. They don't really have them out here.

Did you have a nice Secret Satan party, if there was one? I had something to mail, but forgot to alert you.

[ltlbird.livejournal.com]

Time pressure is what motivates me best, but that's not very helpful. A better suggestion is to break your work into chunks and give yourself deadlines and/or rewards for completing those chunks.

[wavyarms.livejournal.com]

I have no useful advice, seeing as I write all my papers the day before they're due. I was very proud this semester of starting my term paper 2 whole days before I had to turn it in! But in lieu of advice, have a studious icon. (My icon skillz are not l33t, so she looks fuzzy and slightly possessed, but it is a writing icon, right?)

[nadyezhda.livejournal.com]

Having written 93 pages this semester, I sympathize. Try different working environments. I also focus on clearly defining what I want to say, and going with it.

And I always write single-space and then double-space it. :) Minor "reward," if you will.