Writing more in less time
November 15, 2010Thanks to Windows Phone 7 for sponsoring this post. See the end of the post for details on a Windows Phone 7 giveaway.
Windows asked me to write about doing more with less, so last night I decided that instead of making chocolate chip cookies, I'd simply shovel chocolate chips in my mouth. That's less, after all. That didn't quite satisfy, however, even after I let the chips sit in there for a while and melt. I considered adding some butter, but that seemed like too much work, frankly.
Then I realized I really like peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies so I shoveled some peanut butter in my maw as well. And what do you know? That was better than some stupid cookies. Better = MORE!
A quiet voice in the back of my sugar-addled mind told me that I was possibly not quite getting the concept of doing more with less, so I stopped to consider how the concept applied to my life. Then I fell asleep. But this morning I woke up, as one does, and my first thought was, "I have a half-hour to write this post." My second thought was, "Thank GOD." Because a small window of time is the only way I can get any writing done. And I do believe that's doing more with less, Windows! BLAMMO!
There is nothing that will murder any chance of productivity for me like waking up to an obligation-free, unscheduled day. Henry's going straight to a playdate after school and won't be home until 6, I have a slow work week, and I'm out of errands to run? Well, I tell myself, that means I have hours in which to consort with the muse, obviously! I'll sit down at my computer and oh, the places my mind will go! I have all the time in the world to write the best blog post ever written. No--five of the best blog posts ever written. Or I'll finally finish that novel I began in 1996. Hell, I can do all of these things. I have all the time in the world!
But when I sit down at my computer with all that emptiness stretching ahead of me, panic sets in. That's a lot of time. I need to get a lot done, in that much time. And it better be good, too, because I have no reason to phone it in. I have time. Time means quality. If I write something terrible, that means I'm a terrible writer. Crap. I'm hungry.
So I decide to make breakfast. And since I have all these hours ahead of me, I have time to make myself a real breakfast. No need for a bowl of cereal, like some rushed breakfast-eating chump. But before I do that, I should check Twitter and see what's going on. Oh, look, someone linked to a funny video! Thank goodness I have time to watch it, as I have so very much time. And look, there are all these related, also funny videos! I never noticed how many videos there are of kitty cats flushing toilets. Those are always fun. I normally don't have time to watch those, as I'm rushing about.
Then I look up and it's eight hours later and Henry is home from his playdate and I'm still in my bathrobe.
I am convinced, after all these years, that the two most useful tools in my writing arsenal are: 1) limited time and 2) low expectations. If I have four hours to write, I will expect greatness, or at least quality, and my chattering brain will be consumed with what "quality" means and whether or not I'm approaching it, and as a result I'll avoid work. I'll dawdle and daydream and check my email like it's the only thing keeping me alive. If I have an hour, however, I don't have time for these shenanigans. I have to focus. If I have a half-hour, my fingers better keep moving around that keyboard and words had better be appearing on screen, or I'm screwed.
Even when I have only fifteen minutes, I can get some quality work done. If I can sit down and still the endless chatter in my brain, when those fifteen minutes are up, I find that I've made more progress on a project than I had all week. Because I don't expect much from fifteen minutes. All I expect is a few paragraphs, and maybe to have gained some momentum. And sometimes that's all I need.
So hey, if you want a Windows Phone 7 of your very own, you can win one right here! To enter, leave a comment of 25 words or more about how you do more when you have less time. You've got until November 29 (midnight PT) and you can enter once a day. On the 29th, I'll pick a winner using random.org and post it here. Here are the official, long-winded rules about this contest.
Reader Comments (299)
I just realize that I use my Chanel shadow duo for all the occasions. Day look, evening, and everything in between. How awesome is that? It truly is more for less. Plus every time I use it, I feel so fancy.
Up until couple of months ago, I used to cut my own hair. Saved a TON of money and time. Although, it looked like crap. So as per the demands of my wife I am no longer doing that.
When I'm crunched for time I'm the most productive. I'm really indecisive so I'm forced to make decisions.
Doing more for less means buying a gently used car that's been cared for and maintaining it carefully for another ten years.
i love giving out coupons as presents. Like ill watch your kids for an hour or help you clean your house. they are cheap and effective. so everyone is happy
Happy Thanksgiving! During the holidays, when I'm camped out on so many deal sites, I make sure to keep an eye out for kid's books and toys. This helps stretch my giving-to-charity budget so I can donate more to Toys for Tots, school libraries, etc. Amazon has a Flat Stanley boxed set for $7.50 now!
This might be a little too simple, but I do more with less by always having my laptop with me. Nowadays, since I'm in college, it seems like everything is being moved online, from turning essays in to math homework. It definitely helps me do more when I have free time and I have less stuff to carry around!
I'm writing more this month because I am thinking less. There is some satisfaction I am deriving from just getting words out. Next I need to do more than write on my blog. If I startbelieving I am a writer.
More for less: Host a get together with your friends and have a clothes swap ...exchange your don't-likes and never-worns for things you can use. Everybody wins!
I like making more than I need to so I can have lunch to take the next day.
I do more with less by trying to eight million things at once! More things done with less time would be a lot easier with a smart phone, right now I have a lame flip phone that was free with my plan and I can only tweet/email/etc. when I’m actually at my computer. How 90′s. Thanks for the giveaway!!
I do more with less redundancy by syncing my files using Windows Live Mesh.
doing more with less could mean budgeting and adhering to it. It allows us to save properly and spend wisely
I, too, am most productive under pressure. However, one of my problems is remembering all the things I need to do, whether at work, at home, or for my advocations. A good task manager that synchs with all my electronics (computers, personal Android phone, work Blackberry phone, etc) would be helpful.
I can't believe I haven't been entering this every day so far, because one way to do more with less time is to win a phone by commenting on a blog, right? Is this twenty-five words yet? BUT, I ALSO like to eat ingredients instead of baking, so I agree with you on that one, too. I have no sense of how much twenty-five words is. I have a much better sense of 140 characters. Which is also how many characters I have in my extended family, give or take.
I write when I run, when I am trying to fall asleep at night, when I am barely awake in the morning...when I am sitting, waiting somewhere. I am writing in my head, of course, but I am getting pretty good at indelibly imprinting the words on my memory for transcription later...
One way I do more in less time is by channeling my adult ADHD into some multi-tasking! I feel so productive when I've got a load of laundry going while I'm running the vacuum and letting something soak in the sink. It's the little things...
My grandmother taught me to "save steps". During chore time around the house, always have something with you to be returned or replaced as you move from area to area and room to room.
I do more with less time when I watch TV. I guess it should be I "watch" more when I have less time. I'm not home too often to watch my favorite TV shows so I always use my DVR. When I have the weekends, I watch a lot more in less time since I can speed past the commercials!
I do more with less time by making lists for just about everything, just so that i can plan ahead of time as much as possible
m and ms are probably my favorite more with less candy. i use them to decorate cakes, i use them in counting games with kids, and they just taste good
Doing more with less sometimes means reusing grocery bags, or buying the recyclable types and using those. Saves the environment and saves the grocery stores money, which in turn saves you money.
I recently chopped off 8 inches of hair, all the way up to my jawline. It's SO much quicker and easier to do my hair now, which leaves more time and patience for all the other million things every morning. Plus, it means I can't just toss my hair up in a ponytail every single day.
Less time plus a looming deadline can force the right amount of adrenaline to surge. I then have a minor freak out, prioritize like crazy, go down the list, and hope I can do as much as I think I can. So, um, yeah... no cool tricks...
My output is inversely proportional to the amount of time I have left to write...therefore, if I give myself fifteen minutes vs. an hour, I often write more, with abandon.