I will be the first to admit that there are many times when I “should” be writing, when I get drawn into doing something like cleaning my desk drawer, organizing my closet, or shredding old manuscripts. I call it “procrasticleaning” and while it ends up serving a higher purpose, I can get a little more than irritated with myself when I let it rule my day. But a ton of things have happened in the past couple of years that have me thinking of my habits in a new light. With my tangent for pulling weeds, organizing the shed, or washing the dishes, I believe I solve things that are a sticking point in my writing projects (whichever one I decide I am working on that day, which is a whole other thing).
Procrastination for me doesn’t always include activities, the other thing that I like to fill my time with is sleep, which I have been getting a lot of lately, although I would much prefer quality to quantity when it comes to that. While some may see sleeping as avoidance, I see it as providing clarity since I generally have more answers first thing in the morning than I do late at night. It’s as if the questions magically work themselves out as I snooze, so when my brain stops working I take it as a sign to rest.
Why does the eye see a thing more clearly in dreams than the imagination when awake?
Leonardo da Vinci
It seems I’m not the only one. Although one might argue that taking a quote from one of the biggest procrastinators in the world to heart is probably not wise, but… hello… Mona Lisa? Last Supper? Moving on…
I recently took the Clifton Strengths test to learn more about what makes me tick. While I wasn’t surprised by the results, it did allow me to finally put a name to something that I thought was a “bad” thing, and put me on the path of thinking of it as my superpower. I realize in the past it would have been called rewarding bad behavior, but I am at an age where I am questioning a lot of things I did because they were expected of me. Unlearning things that hinder my growth is part of that. I’ve decided to give myself Grace on how I engage with my habits (or not) moving forward. No excuses, no feeling bad about it, I’m finding out it just is the way I’m designed. That knowledge is liberating, to be honest. Anyway, before I go deep down a rabbit hole I thought I would get to the point of this post… Yes, I do have a point, dear reader. Here it is…
If you don’t feel “safe” or “secure” it is unlikely you will allow yourself to feel “vulnerable” which is precisely the place you need to be in order to pull the story from your soul.
I’ve had the honor of taking Becca Syme’s Write Better Faster course, and while I am still processing the enormous amount of information I unlocked, I did have a key take away which I stated above. The idea that I haven’t felt “safe” in what equates to almost 2 years is astounding to me but makes complete sense now that I have the gift of hindsight. I owe a lot to her course which summed up into words what I was already feeling. I had already started gathering resources on things like mindset, purpose, and passion, but taking her course really brought all I had learned together. Learning that there is absolutely nothing wrong with my process was huge. Massive. HERCULEAN! Now to do the true work and to become one with that process. But the first step is understanding it. And that’s the tricky part.
Procrasticleaning = Noodling
When I am doing a mundane task, something that doesn’t require a lot of brain power like shredding documents, or re-arranging my bookshelves, it provides my mind the opportunity and space to creatively noodle. I liken it to coming up with a great idea in the shower, or while you are driving to work. I have found that part of my process is to start the story, get so far, and then think my way through the first conflict or fork in the road. I like to get double-duty out of my time and get something else accomplished, so I pick something on my To Do List, and procrastinate away!
I now have found that noodling is key to my entire process, and based on my #1 Strength – Intellection, I now know why. My mind needs time to think, to learn, to look at all sides of the issue before making the leap, or in my case draft the book. I think about how the current scene will not only impact future scenes in the book but also how it ties into future books in the series. I can’t help myself. I want to write faster, but the fact is … I probably won’t be able to. Accepting that is much easier when I realize that forcing myself to write when I don’t truly feel ready to, only slows me down.
What I did: The first thing I did was cut back on some of the things I thought I “should” be doing and followed my Muse instead. If something sparked Joy (my word of 2024) then I followed it, and what I have found so far is that my Muse doesn’t ever lead me astray. Saying no to events that don’t suit my writing style and cutting back on social media, were two things that really have worked in my favor so far. The next move for me is getting up an hour or two earlier and getting some writing and/or admin time in first thing in the day when my creativity is at its peak.
Organized Space = Organized Mind
When I sidetrack my day by organizing my office, putting away laundry, or deleting emails, I believe I accomplish 2 things. First, I provide mental “space” for myself by taking the task that is in my overflowing “To Do” bucket and moving it back to a “done” bucket. Being able to check off several small items from an ever-growing list, provides the space in my mind to let new things in. That is where the noodling comes in, especially now that I’ve taken so much off my plate. The key to being selective is limiting what you agree to in the future so the bucket doesn’t keep filling up and taking up room in your head.
The second thing is it soothes me physically. Being able to look around the space I am in, to see everything in its place, and to find things quickly, provides a sense of comfort. I have found I can’t feel as if I’m cramped. I’ve never been a fan of elevators or small spaces, so having room around me as I work is something I thrive in. Think about when you are in a kitchen and someone is everywhere you try to step as you are scrambling to make a meal. It’s that for me in every place I try to create. Most importantly, what it also includes for me is consideration for auditory “space.” Silence and the ability to hear myself think is huge. My thoughts go a mile a minute, and I am dropping each one into a content bucket for further perusal at a later date faster than an Indy Car on race day. I am one of those people who turn down the radio to figure out what they need to do next… now I know why.
What I did: I took one of the bedrooms in our house and created an office, which is one of the best things I could have done for myself and my creativity. It is a work in progress, just like my books, but filling the space with things that inspire me, and surrounding myself with the books that bring me Joy, was just what I needed. I can create on my own schedule without bothering anyone else, any time day or night, which has been a life-saver.
Creation requires vulnerability, you need to feel safe
I notice at both my day job and at home, when I’m not feeling comfortable or I’m not happy, my production goes down. When my happiness is under attack, I shut down. And when I don’t feel safe, I burn out. That was what happened at the end of last year in all facets of my life, and it was crippling. Most of what I went through was situational and with some minor tweaks and major changes I was able to balance my physical spaces at both work and home, and fill some bone-dry wells of inspiration with some experiences. It took time to get through it, but I am happy to report I am on the other side of it. Finally.
The creation process for me causes me to dig deep and by the end of it, I feel like a wrung-out dish rag. I put a lot of myself, what I think, and how I would react, into my stories and it takes a lot out of me to take on those personas I create and experience what they do. And if I’m in a place that is disruptive, if there are dishes crashing, or loud conversations it startles me from the conversations I’m having with my characters in my mind. I am hyper aware of my surroundings, so much so that I tune in to any conversation occurring around me, and it is distracting. The space I need is something I only get from silence, and as much as I have tried to “train” myself to write or create in other spaces, it just doesn’t work for me.
What I did: It just so happened that at work I was moved away from the distraction which helped immensely, and so I made the space my own and set it up in the most comfortable configuration for me. For Christmas my husband gave me a “happy light” which I put on my desk to simulate sunshine, which has helped with having no access to windows or natural light 40 hours a week. I also play Jazz, Guitar music, or sounds of the Ocean waves crashing in order to put myself in the right frame of mind and drown out any conversation that may come my way.
Clean the space, make the space, the writing will come
I made myself a New Year promise and have been diligent about decluttering, purging, and organizing at both home and work. This includes digital files which are a disaster, but where progress has been made. I have freed up my calendar by tying up some obligations and decluttered my mind by finishing projects or letting them go. I am adding healthy habits in place of the ones I am letting go of, and making sure that if I do say yes to something that it serves my end goal… to have an author business that supplements my retirement income.
Everything I get on track gives me more space in my life to let something else move in, and sometimes the thing that enters my mind surprises me. Late last month I had a character waltz into my head and announce it was time to tell her story, so instead of ignoring her like I would have done in the past, I took the time to sit with her and listen to what she had to say. It was plenty, a whole novelette’s worth of material, in a matter of 2 days. Had I waited to listen, my guess is that story would have never been pulled from me.
What I did: When inspiration came, took out my phone and started to dictate. When the words came faster, I took out the laptop and didn’t stop until the words ran dry. Following the Muse when she decides to inspire, has been the best change I could have made for myself. Keeping my spaces free of clutter allows for me to be inspired more often.
Resources:
For those who are feeling a little wrung out, or who are looking for some answers for why you are feeling depleted or uninspired, please consider checking out Becca Syme’s You Tube Channel, which has a ton of helpful videos on Burnout, Strengths, and why you aren’t doing it “wrong.” You can find her stuff here: https://www.youtube.com/@BeccaSyme.
Here are some books that were suggested, or I have read, that might help you:
Mel Robbins – 5 Second Rule – https://www.melrobbins.com/books
Becca Syme – Dear Writer Series – https://betterfasteracademy.com/
Shonda Rimes – Year Of Yes – https://www.amazon.com/Year-Yes-Dance-Stand-Person/dp/1476777128
Big Magic – https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/books/big-magic
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Here are some websites with more information about famous Procrastinators, yes we are in really good company friends:
https://www.bkconnection.com/bkblog/jeevan-sivasubramaniam/five-geniuses-who-were-procrastinators
https://www.history.com/topics/renaissance/leonardo-da-vinci
Is procrastination something you struggle with? Do you have any tips on how you handle getting the writing done despite your tendencies? Let us know in the comments below!
In the meantime, hope all the words find you! Happy writing and happy procrastinating to those who need it to do their best work! Just know that I see you and there is nothing wrong with you. 💕 Next time you need inspiration… just look at the list of top procrastinators I provided… if they can succeed despite what the world tells them… we can too!
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D.A. Henneman - Romance Author 
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