Stop being overwhelmed - use sand!

There are times when my to-do-list gets out of hand. It's worse when multiple things on the list are urgent, or particularly icky things to do. Usually I can get stuck in and work through it, but there are times when I seem to find anything else better to do. That list gets daunting sometimes! I read something recently that struck a chord with me, not because it was a new idea but because it was expressed so well.

The person used the analogy of an hour glass. Basically the idea is to tackle one grain of sand at a time. What's the next best thing to do right now? Do that thing. If you tackle each grain of sand eventually you'll have made your way through the list.

I usually have that approach. I start with the quickest or easiest and as the list shortens it isn't as scary.

How do you manage your to-do-lists?

Procrastination

I've had a really busy, exhausting week. I should be taking this moment on a Sunday night, where the commitments of one week are over, and the next yet to begin, to add to my lagging word count.

But instead I'm writing this blog. I'm procrastinating.
Why?

Because I'm tired, I'm sick of concentrating, reluctant to face another blank page... my list of excuses could go on and on.

Wikipedia defines procrastination as:
a behaviour which is characterised by deferment of actions or tasks to a later time.

Yep. That's me to a tee tonight.

Wikipedia goes on to state that:
Psychology researchers also have three criteria they use to categorise procrastination. For a behavior to be classified as procrastination, it must be counterproductive, needless, and delaying.

Let me see.
Uhuh, I can definitely tick all three boxes.
No doubt about it, I'm using my blog to procrastinate.

What do you do to procrastinate?

Writing about it has certainly cranked up the guilt levels. I'd better get back to it. I think Nike got it right: