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 recently switched from high-speed Internet back to dial-up, if you can believe it, and it's actually been sort of a relief that I can't wile away the day online.
I don't know why but I study way more efficiently when I'm under the pressure after midnight! Haha, I just turn up some music, get some OJ and type away at my essays and tests, and I always seem to do really well! Sometimes I just wonder how I rote a 10 page essay when I wake up!
It would be great to win this!
I need to spend some time everyday to remind myself that life isnt overwhelming, a deep breath to remind myself to keep everything in perspective and things arent that bad
I have found this year that it is possible to do more with less and for me it works when I organize what needs to be done.
Calendars are a huge help. And the Outlook Quickstep is a great shortcut tool that helps me quickly create some of my common tasks, appointments, and emails while on the go. The win phone 7 will be a great mobile tool to aid in this.
I just relax. The times I realize that I'm not perfect and can only do what I can do are the times I get more done in less time.
When in doubt, I write lists. Lists can be surprisingly meaningful, I find. There is always the list of things I could write about, too...
This sounds crazy, but my desk is covered in post-its of tasks that need done. I just reach out and grab a random post-it and do whatever it tells me. It's not always the most efficient, but I hate getting stuck at some point in my to-do list. At least it keeps me doing something productive all day.
I am the same way Alice. The only way I can get anything productive done is to wait till the last minute and then rush it. My mind wanders and wanders until I am at a place in my head that I cannot even trace how I got there. One thought turns into another into another and It is like playing telephone with a group of people. The first person said one thing, and at the end of the line that sentence turns into something entirely different. Also when I don't have alot of food in my house and am to lazy to go to the store, I can make a smorgasbord of stuff. Ha.
I think I do more when I'm under pressure, and definitely with less time. I've had numerous photography projects for classes and I always seem to do well wenever i have less time to shoot! I guess I'm just more focused.
I’ll be able to get more done with less by consolidating my devices when I get a Windows Phone.
Instead of buying new clothes, every once in a while I trade some staple pieces with my friends. Sometimes even one new piece of clothes can change the whole dynamic of my wardrobe. The key is too be kind and gentle to the clothes you borrow.
I use Photoshop Elements instead of the full PS suite--and I still am able to do just what I need to do!
I've learned two things about me: I work best under pressure and I'm a world class procrastinator. To produce effectively, I need the 15 minutes instead of the 4 hours.
My husband has been away for business all week and for the first time I am alone with my 7 month old over night! Talk about doing more with less! Without my husband to help I have been forced to get the daily to-dos done on my own...I have gotten so much done! (I even have time to pat myself on the back!)
when I know I have a finite amount of time to get things done, I do more since I can no longer procrastinate!! My natural inclination is to put things off that I dread doing, so to have a timetable with less time is the magic solution :D
Now that the holidays are almost upon us, we are freaking out about all the presents and relatives, and everything that goes with that. I wanted to do a $20 cap on all presents, but it is becoming clear that if we do that the presents will be utter useless crap. I guess we'll have to get creative.
I've just signed up for efax. It is much cheaper that paying for a phone line, plus I save so much paper. I print only absolute necessary documents and it is very useful to have every single paper that comes through the fax on my email.
My laptop allows me to work anywhere. I could spend time shopping, just chatting with friends etc while I wait to pick up my Dad from his visit at the nursing home. I now spend at least 1/2 of my waiting time working.
I get more with less by doing comparison shopping using Bing.
Lists are so essential. If I don't write down every tiny detail, I waste time by a) forgetting and b) sitting there wracking my brain to make sure I'm not forgetting anything.
My husband loves putting leftover meat with cheese and toasting it into a quesadilla. One more dinner I don't have to worry about.
I'm all about doing more with less by using free tools such as the Google calendar to organize my day, week, month, year...need I go on!!!
My more for less: Bake family goodies instead of buying storebought. Make extra and freeze for later. Do the same for meals: cook more, freeze extras.
In order to do more when I have less time, I prioritize my to do lists and keep track of what i have time to do and not do. I'm in college so keeping rack of all these crazy essays and projects can gt hectic. I can't even imagine when I have job and a family!