I'm in the throes of editing, and nowhere are my procrastination enablers more significant than at this stage. So in an effort to embrace them and thereby reduce their lure (I'll let you know if it works!), I thought I'd list them here!
1. Twitter. The duck-and-dive nature of Twitter really makes it ideal for a few prime minutes of procrastination fun. See what's going on around the world, with loads of other procrastinating writers! I have three (yes, three) Twitter accounts just to, you know, maximise the enjoyment.
2. Facebook. Catch up with people you haven't talked to since high school and probably never will, even though you're Facebook friends! I've got two FB accounts - one for writing and one for personal use - and one FB Page for my 24 Hours travel guides, so I can play around for hours!
3. Google Reader. Not blogging - because I know once I delve into that world, I won't come out - but I like to check my Google Reader through the day to see what pops up!
4. Watching people rifle through the rubbish bin outside. This is surprisingly good entertainment! See what treasures lurk under the sandwich wrappers!
5. NovelRank.com. Oh Lordy, how I wish I'd never found out about this website where you can track sales of your books and look at handy-dandy sales charts and figures. I can easily obsess over it, checking it at least three times daily.
6. The Daily Mail online. You can't help but love The Daily Mail, where everything somehow seems to cause cancer and teenage pregnancy. Green tea? Causes cancer. Nick Clegg? Causes cancer. Faulty Tube system? Teenage pregnancy.
7. Staring into the fridge. I think sometimes if I stare long enough, food might actually appear.
8. BonsaiKittens. An oldie but goodie. Just how do they get those kittens into those jars?
9. Looking at my to-do list. This isn't exactly a fun one but is guaranteed to waste at least five minutes. Want a break? Scan the list, do nothing, then go back to work. Mission accomplished!
10. Staring at my husband. He always makes fun of me but I frequently get up out of my chair, walk over to him, stare for a good minute or two, then walk away. Why? I dunno!
I love your weirdness. I wouldn't like to be stared at, poor husband.
ReplyDeleteKittens in jars? Please tell me you don't, I can't even think about it.
Stop procrastinating and edit!!!
LOL! Brilliant! Sometimes I hate facebook, twitter and blogs, I wish I'd never discovered them!!! They surely steal half the day don't they?? Right, get back to work!! ;-)))
ReplyDeleteSarah - Don't worry, he's used to it!
ReplyDeleteEnglish Writer - I know! They do take half the day. But my day today is shot anyway so I figure... hey, time to blog!
Talli, I've found a new way for you to procastinate! Behold, the Daily Mail headline generator!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.qwghlm.co.uk/toys/dailymail/
I'm sure you'll both be very happy together.
ELLEN!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure whether to thank you or strangle you! :)
I'm off to play with it right now!
So funny. I have most of these procrastinators as well.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
Just saw your message on my blog and had to come here just to say 'See you tonight' :-). I'm going to Caroline's launch too *grins*
ReplyDeleteC x
Carol - yay! Looking forward to meeting you! :) See you soon!
ReplyDeleteI stare into the fridge too. In the heat it's been nice, but at other times its dangerous. :)
ReplyDeleteThe internet is all things evil! And yet, here I am. Yep, I'm supposed to be revising. :(
ReplyDelete1. Clean things I don't care about like under the fridge.
ReplyDelete2. Make popcorn in the airpopper - that takes lots of time.
3.obsess about health with the help of the internet - dangerous.
4. garden garden garden or knit knit knit depending on season.
5. practice accordion.
And then all the things you said except I don't stare at my husband and I don't know what bonsaikitties are.
I'm more and more glad I haven't joined Facebook yet. I don't have nearly enough time as it is - and that one would draw me in for sure!
ReplyDeleteYou forgot to add mindless games in the mix there...or maybe that's just me.
ReplyDeleteHaha what a fantastic list!!! I'm currently wondering what bonsaikittens look like so after this I'm going to have to google... which is another thing on the procrastination list for me!
ReplyDeleteThat list is awesome! Will check the daily mail lol!
ReplyDeleteGreat list... My list would contain many of the same items. It's good to know I'm not alone. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOh dear! What a fun list - but even I draw the line to daily mail watching! LOL! Oh ok, I lie. I do like er... Jonathan Cainer's bit. Ahem.
ReplyDeleteOk, nuff confessions.
Good luck with your editing and husband watching (awwww!) and people rifling through bins outside your window watching (?!?!?!)!
:-)
take care
x
Funny list! Way to embrace your procrastination! You know it will come, why not just go with and then get back to work! I like the staring at your husband bit. Cute!
ReplyDeleteLove your Ten for Tuesday. I can see how some of those might have a lure to them. :) But, you could say they're research. Good luck with the editing.
ReplyDeleteMason
Thoughts in Progress
In addition to most of those you listed (except I don't stare at your husband) I like to check my website stats and troll around book sites looking at cover art too.
ReplyDeleteBones. It's very distracting to own the series on DVD. I think, 'I need to go work on my WIP.' Then I think, 'meh, it can wait. I want to watch me some Bones.'
ReplyDeleteWeird, honest, brilliant, fun!
ReplyDeleteThanks Talli, I hope admitting to all of this helps you out.
Very funny1 I stare into the fridge as well, like it's going to tell me what to cook. It never does.
ReplyDelete3 Twitter accounts?! WOW!
ReplyDeleteLove the list...Twitter, FB, and Google Reader (especially Reader, omG) get me all the time!
That's so funny. I love staring at people going through my rubbish bins as well. I love staring out my window in general. My windows have bars so I feel like I'm in prison while the criminals are outside breaking into my car. Twice.
ReplyDeleteCD
Three twitter accounts? I have trouble keeping up with one.
ReplyDeleteI have a FB account. I keep accepting new friends (who doesn't like new friends), but it's not like I update my page or even read FB. Who has the time?
I am not on Twitter/Facebook etc. Not sure why, just no interest I guess.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I love love love staring into the fridge :-D
Sometimes those few moments of downtime are just what we need to recharge, or contemplate a writing point we're stuck on. Great list :)
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm majorally disappointed to find out that staring inside the fridge won't make food appear.
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of the same procrastination traits - except, I promise, I never stare at your husband ;)
I totally stare at my husband too. Sometimes from afar and sometimes I walk over to him and hover for no reason.
ReplyDeletelooool THIS LIST IS MADE OF WIN.
ReplyDeleteand, uh, looks very familiar...
*whistles*
I love your list, Talli! I especially like number four! Very interesting...I wonder what they are looking for and what they are finding.
ReplyDeleteStaring at the husband? I like that one!
ReplyDeleteI agree, many Facebook "friends" I will never actually talk to.
Watching people search through the rubbish bin sounds like fun! I have too many time wasters too. I try to take as many away as possible while I'm writing and revising, but it doesn't always happen.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, these are hysterical! *lmao* What in the world is a bonsai kitten? Who would put a cute little kitten in a jar?!?! I'm a huge fan of staring at the to-do list and then promptly ignoring it. ;) This was an awesomely fun post, Talli!
ReplyDeleteI've found that eBay is evil. And expensive. I figure that if you can put up with your husband's more "unique" habits, he can live with yours, right?
ReplyDeleteHave an interesting, productive week, Roland
So funny, especially numbers 7 and 10. Love them.
ReplyDeleteThe rubbish bin?
ReplyDeleteAnd that's okay you stare at your husband as long as it's in a good way.
You've summed that up so well. My piano distracts me sometimes. I sit and play a little - ah, feel better - then back to work. :)
ReplyDeleteI try not to satre at my to-do list, as it always prods me to think of more things to do. Or never get to!
ReplyDeleteI like your list; I'll have to check out those BonsaiKittens.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a Twitter account or a Facebook page; it always bugged me when my students spent more time updating their pages than listening to me during class. But even though I'm anti-Twitter/Facebook, I think the main reason is that if I had either one I'd just become obsessed with it. Just like I'm obsessed with blogging now.
You're right about #4 & watching people pawing through garbage bins. Great way to observe human nature. It's also free & you never know what'll happen next!
ReplyDeletewhatever works, talli ;)
ReplyDeletei gotta DO something, rather than dick around online... wip is calling, as is a bunch of new animation software
Definitely an ample list. I find if I'm having a REALLY hard time procrastinating I can just start a whole new facebook GROUP and see who I can scrounge up to be interested... that is definitely my biggest time waster (also have a personal and a writer profile there)
ReplyDeleteI'm relieved you never resort to cleaning. That would just be sad.
Twitter and Google Reader are definitely my top procrastination enablers, to the point where it becomes a need to keep up with everybody, even when the new post count become humongous. It's a good thing I don't use Facebook much, or what little time I have left will be gone, too!
ReplyDelete#10 makes me smile. :)
My favorite procrastination is checking my blog, which usually results in catching a few titles of recent posts over on my sidebar and running off to check them out. I try to keep it to just a couple before I dig back into the writing.
ReplyDeleteYou actually get up and walk across the room to stare at your husband? That reminds me of Paranormal Activity (which I just watched today). If you don't know what I'm talking about, that's probably a good thing. :)
I think we're all guilty of most of these. Staring into the fridge is one that worries me. I know exactly what is in the fridge, I can see all of the contents within a minute and yet I'll still stand there as if something will just magically appear by my staring.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this list.
Terrific to meet you and Ayman last night. Best of luck with your own publication! Let's stay in touch.
ReplyDeleteSue Guiney
I personally think this is just part of your list and there's a whole sublist that you didn't tell us about! Haha!
ReplyDeletethis made me laugh so much! and now, I'm wondering, am I adding to the enabling by commenting on your blog! I'm certainly procrastinating.
ReplyDeletethis made me laugh so much! and now, I'm wondering, am I adding to the enabling by commenting on your blog! I'm certainly procrastinating.
ReplyDelete