what do you do when...

[queenbookwench]

...you find yourself getting off track in some area of your life--creativity, relationships, money, time management, diet & exercise, spiritual practices, etc? How do you get back on? How do you avoid the nasty sucking demons of self-loathing smirking, "Ha! Fucked up again! I knew it? How do you get to the point where that happens less often? I'd love to hear how other people have handled these issues.

Comments

[cissa.livejournal.com]

I usually try the manageable, baby steps thing. It works, at least after a while...

[mooseloon.livejournal.com]

I agree with cissa. I also think looking at the time ahead of you as what you have, and the past as, well, the past. Lists can be helpful. One sugestion i've gotten is to do stuff as soon as you think of it. "i should do q"... go do q. even if you're in the middle of something else (unless its more important). It can lead to a bit of disorganization, but I think it's all about teaching yourself you have the power to get things done.

I know that sounds a bit silly... but getting yourself to realize that you can think "i have to do things" and conver it to "wow, i just did a,b,c,d,q,l,r,s,m,and u!" is a difficult thing. Focus on doing things, even if it isnt exactly how you planned.

Yesterday I spent most of the day organizing photos from my trip to england and my summer in ireland. I need to pack for school, but, as i was doing something i need to do as well, i focused on what i was doing. I also was, to some extent, pitting procrastination against itself. Procrastinate from doing one thing by doing another.

I also find it works well for me to get up and start doing things in the morning. Of course, i'm a morning person. I find it a lot easier to set the tone for the day, than to get motivated after a morning of doing nothing.

hope this helps...

[ariadnesthread.livejournal.com]

I usually go out for a food-knitting-and-nattering session with Jen (aka "Getting together to write," which all too infrequently involves writing). Otherwise, I go out alone, drink coffee, and read or write.

[queenbookwench.livejournal.com]

Thanks guys--I find that my problem is that if I step off on one thing, it tends to set off a cascade of escapism and distraction, and it can take a couple of days to get back. And I get into a downward spiral where I beat up on myself for not doing whatever it is, and can't seem to shake it off. Sometimes just completely starting again the next day works...Taking time out to reflect and write is good too, but I am making a resolution to avoid bookstores as writing spots b/c not much writing gets done.