Wednesday, February 16, 2011

I tried, but I had to just give in....

I think most of us struggle with what we should be doing versus what we are actually doing. I know I do. Every day. There's no mom on earth that doesn't feel some guilt in working when they should be spending time with their kids...or playing with their kids, when they should be working. While I do struggle with that guilt, I'm talking about a different guilt today.

The lure of the internet.

Each day, I have many things I need to do. And yes, that list does include Facebook, Twitter, Blog writing and reading and commenting, email, etc.. Where most people look at these social media outlets as a "time suck", I happen to think differently. I need these outlets to network and promote myself. So, doing these things does actually have a purpose for me. It's helping to get my name and face out there and in turn, sell books.

But, I do also need to actually work on my writing projects each day too. That is equally as important.

And I tried, very hard, to do my editing and writing first each day. I once read that every writer should do an hour of just writing or editing each day, then turn to social networking. Yeah....didn't work so well for me. I just could not concentrate, knowing that there were unread emails out there, Facebook posts to read, blog posts to read and comments to reply to. I just could not keep my mind on my work with all those other things sitting there, waiting for me.

So I decided not to even try anymore. I do what I need with email, FB, Twitter, etc... I do that all first. Yes, it takes time. A lot of time. But when I am finally to a point where I can say "I'm good" I can shut them down and concentrate COMPLETELY on my work.

I do still take mini-breaks from the editing...you have to. The eyes go buggy after a while. I pop into FB or Twitter for like 2 minutes.

What do you guys do?? Work first, network later?? Or are you like me???

9 comments:

  1. I don't usually write until the end of the day. I get up betwen 6 and 7 am, go to work, do all my "stuff". I don't get time to write until abut 7pm. Then I try to block out all social networking/internet and write for a few hours. It doesn't always work. On the weekends, if I am wrting, I get up early and jump into it first thing.

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  2. I'm a bit scattered...when my phone goes off to alert me of a new message? I check it... Time management has never been my thing. I keep meaning to change that... :)

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  3. I struggle with priorities all the time. I usually put myself first, which I know isn't the way to be. This is a pretty common problem I'm sure, but you recognize and do what you need to. That right there puts you ahead of 90% of the population I believe. So don't feel guilty, you're doing an amazing job. :)

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  4. My usual routine is to clear my mind of debris by attending to mail/internet communications first also. As long as I don't get sidetracked into taking on a new project or a futile search, it's helpful-- especially if I have one or two particular writing projects I'm planning on for a given day. Then I KNOW what is waiting for me, and frankly, doing a bit of something else first gets me champing at the bit.

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  5. I'm very ADD when it comes to my writing. I write/edit a bit and pop onto FB, sometimes twitter, read blogs, check email, do some laundry, write a little, etc... ;)

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  6. Every time I get to pause point in writing, I'll check email and hit a few blogs, then I go back to writing. Works for me. I"m on Fbook very, very little and I don't tweet. I should tweet, but for me, I don't think the benefits will outweigh the time suck...

    Always hard to find a good balance.

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  7. I get my internet fix out of the way first thing.... then its no distractions... hopefully lol

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  8. I think I have a very short attention span because I can't do anything for long without feeling restless. So I write for the first 10-15 minutes of each half hour...then allow the last 10-15 minutes to be whatever I want to do.

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  9. My Laptop is never closed and always connected. Typically, I when I am sitting, standing, walking by it my iPhone is there with or on me.

    As I type my twitchy eye keeps darting to the range top that needs cleaning while my better eye is glued to the wonderful land of cyberspace. Oh, and the book I'm reading to review is at my side as well.

    (It is Sunday and I taught CCD so I gave myself the rest of the afternoon off). :-P

    A typical weekday morning: wake, brush teeth, potty, enter kitchen, pull out stuff for hot breakfast for kids, visit LT for FB good morning to the world.

    Oh, and I sleep with my iPhone by my bed. When it vibrates at 5:am I know my friends up in the NorthEast are starting their day. ;-)

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