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 moved to Florida at the end of August. Since that time I have been unemployed and totally lazy. With no job? Why bother with wearing clothes, makeup, or doing anything productive. (Please don't judge me!) I finally found a potential job opportunity and that was enough to motivate me to go to the DMV and get a Florida drivers license. I figured it would be kind of tacky if I had to ask for a morning off from an employer to go get a drivers license when I had a mere two and half months to do it beforehand.
It's like I'm reading my own inner monologue. Anyway, I give myself a schedule with specific goals and this seems to work.
I'm a firm believer that projects expand to fill the time alotted. I will anticipate a free day all week - only to accomplish half of what I accomplish over lunch on a busy one!
I use the internet to shop as much as I can. You really can't go wrong with so many online stores offer no or very low shipping costs.
Just picking up the clutter in the house on a regular basis makes me FEEL like I'm doing more with less time, as it creates an illusion of cleanliness. That, and occasionally doing a cleansing purge to goodwill.
I love to make lists. Sometimes I write things on my list that I've already completed just so I can cross it off my list. And someone once told me that it's good to have 2 lists. A long-term list--one with all your tasks, and a short-term list--a list only of items that is reasonable to get done today.
http://www.dothesekidsmakemelookcrazy.com
Less time = more lists.
Lists are made of pixie dust and magic that seem to keep my entire world spinning around in some harmonious sense of balance and purpose. Without them, the entire universe falls apart, and nothing is accomplished. When I have time on my hands, I don't create lists...so I can NEVER remember what actually needs to be accomplished. There is truely a sense of accomplishment, and a sense of NEED to CROSS THINGS OFF the list. That, for me, is the biggest motivator that exists.
One way to do more with less time, is doing it with someone else. For example, cooking or cleaning. Doing it with your wife or husband saves a lot of time.
You are so right! The more time I have to do something... well, I'll still do it in the last hour, anyway. I have the same problem when I have a whole day home with my kids. We'll go shopping! And do crafts! And go to the zoo! And master our subtraction facts! All in one day. And sometimes, they really just want to spend the day in their pajamas, together. That's more with less.
When I have less time to do things, I work crazily and efficiently on my projects. However, when I have an ample amount of time to get a project done, I tend to procrastinate heavily. I need a deadline to be productive. Thanks for the chance to win!
Sometimes I get so caught up in multi-tasking that I forget to finish the project I originally started on. Thank goodness for post-its to keep me on track!
My husband and I recently moved in (temporarily, I hope) with my parents. We are having to live out of boxes and suitcases so with little room I had to think very carefully with what we NEEDED. There are things in storage that I wish I could get to and use because I WANT them but we are getting by just fine without the extras. Makes me wonder what we are going to do when we do have all of our loot back.
I just advised a teacher to set limits for a kid who has ADHD (work for x amt of time, or until you finish y number of problems). Hope its more successful for him than it is for me!
I'd love to win the prize and see if it really simplifies life!
Until then, my best tip is to read fewer blogs--narrow it down to great ones like Finslippy = )
I have found that I can get more done in the ten minutes before the bus comes than I can accomplish during the rest of the entire morning. This morning, for example, I made my 15 year old daughter cry when I suggested her eyeshadow was to heavy and she looked like a circus clown. I made her 12 year old brother stop laughing at her tears when I suggested that he brush his teeth because his breath was bad enough to curl my hair and I got my nine year old sons teeth and hair brushed and I found him a pair of mated socks. I remembered to give them all lunch money and a kiss before they went out of the door. From 7:50 til noon the only thing I was able to accomplish was reading blogs and refilling my own coffee cup.
Online shopping! It's much quicker than hauling myself to the physical store. Also, sometimes the prospect of a shipping delay helps calm the immediate-gratification aspect of impulse shopping.
I'm the same way when it comes to writing -- if I start something at the absolute last minute and expect it will be mostly garbage, things usually work out pretty well! I'm considering applying to law school and probably should not share these sentiments in application essays, but you know, we'll see how much time I have to work on them.
Here's me entering a second time, like a greedy, greedy person who ought to be striving to do more without a Windows Phone.
I use conditioner as shampoo. It saves me money and does not dry out my hair. Bonus all around! Plus my colorist is always amazed at how healthy my hair is.
I love this post and the comments... I feel so NORMAL now. Or, at least we're all abnormal procrastinators together.
For me, keeping busy keeps me going and keeps me sane. When I have too little to do I sink into malaise, lethargy, and depression. Life seems to string on in an endless series of unimportant days and feels meaningless. There's no rush, no real reason to DO anything today... or the next day... or the next day. I fight this tendency it by keeping busy.
The way that I do more with less is to fully utilize the few minutes I have here and there - waiting for an appointment, waiting for my slow-poke kids, or for my tea water to boil. I can plan a full week's menu, throw in a load of laundry, or read a chapter of a good book in those little windows of time.
doing more with less is the trend now days, the one thing that i think that allows people to do more with less is a computer. it allows people to learn about something in an instant where as before people have to go to the library, it allows people to write without a pen or pencil, it allows people to watch tv, movies and just videos in general at a touch of a button, allows people to store memories of a lifetime in one simple device. but with technology advancing as it is a brand new phone that does exactly that would be handy :]
As a full-time student with two jobs and an internship, I'm constantly forced to do as much as I can in any free time that I get. Lucky for me, my primary job allows me to do homework during downtime, and on the days when it's too cold to ride my bike, I get a ton of reading done on my bus ride to and from work.
Biking to work and school gives me time to clear my head, is a quick mode of transportation, and lets me fit in a bit of exercise in an otherwise fairly sedentary day.
Much love, I could really use this phone!
I have a 1 year old. Its amazing how fast I can decide what to cook for dinner now.
I knew I was not alone. Oh procrastination-frustration cycle, how I love to hate thee!
I try to keep my grandfather in mind, who told me to expect less of myself, that my expectations were always WAY higher than what anyone else was expecting, and that "a good horse only jumps as far as it has to". Ah, such a weird but fitting little saying. It sounded better in German. But you catch my drift, right? In many cases, just getting it done, somehow, just getting it over with, is enough. Hard to do.
I subscribe to RSS feeds. It's not as fun as cruising around the blogosphere clicking on whatever appeals, but it definitely cuts down on the time-wasting.