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So, I did not procrastinate at all on this. You're getting it at the end of the day because it took all day to write. But even if I'd finished earlier, I still would've waited to send it out. Because we all know what would have happened to you degenerate procrastinators as soon as this bad boy dropped into your timeline.

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Feb 7, 2022Liked by John Birmingham

Can confirm it’s not a technology thing. I procrastinated studying my analogue history books by getting caught in the “one more chapter” trap of an analogue Terry Pratchett novel. It was literally that re-reading the adventures of Commander Vimes and Captain Carrot for the 7th time was far more interesting than going through that week’s study guide on 6th century BC Israel, and that was all I needed to procrastinate my little heart out 🤷🏼‍♀️

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Feb 7, 2022Liked by John Birmingham

I managed to half read so many other articles while reading this.

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Feb 7, 2022Liked by John Birmingham

I'm supposed to be cooking dinner right now, my family is depending on me, but I'm going to procrastinate by reading this again and maybe looking for one of those timers on eBay. If the kids complain they are starving I'm going to tell them it's Mr Birmingham's fault...

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Feb 7, 2022Liked by John Birmingham

I don’t procrastinate…my problem is the monthly radio show that I present. I get home from work and when I should be editing the almost fucking finished novel, I get sucked into researching album tracks from late 70s and early 80s albums, or Britpop, or punk, or garage rock from the 60s…but I will finish the novel eventually, I will!

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Feb 7, 2022Liked by John Birmingham

Yeah, definitely not a technology thing for me. I'm in my 60s now. Started work in an office at 16, so pre desk top computers. Sure I'm distracted by tech now, but that's just an excuse. If it wasn't the tech I'd find something to blame as I did in my youth. I didn't need anything, not computer games or cute puppy videos on the internet. It was mostly daydreaming about the women in the typing pool... remember typing pools? As a terminally lazy person now retired, I commiserate with those who suffer with procrastination, I revel in it... until my partner wants something done.

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Feb 7, 2022Liked by John Birmingham

I remember you recommending the Pomodoro Technique to the 'Burger community some years ago JB and I found it works well for me at 40-45 minute sessions. Now I need to add and try the other two techniques.

Btw, I understand Georges Simenon (author of Maigret) was also someone who wrote unencumbered by clothing.

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Feb 7, 2022Liked by John Birmingham

I was doing fine reading this informative article until you derailed me with Picard Borg Sex FanFic!

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Feb 7, 2022Liked by John Birmingham

Just prior to reading this, I sent my PhD sup an email re our next meeting and its agenda which included a 'kick RL's arse for lack of progress'. You see I am a procrastinating uber-machine. Video games (along with ice cream, gin and sleeping are my weaknesses) Although I write for games as a day job so there is a weird circle of redemption in there somewhere.

I use the sit down and write for 30 min thing but alas I've been too much of prawn to even do that lately so f*ck me if I didn't need to read this right now. -Cheers JB

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Feb 7, 2022Liked by John Birmingham

This is autistic inertia writ large. I would have told you this 15 minutes ago but couldn't decide whether to bookmark the Tim Urban article or turn the print preview into a downloadable PDF so I did both and THEN I find out on twitter the coagulation cascade isn't real even though I studied it both as an undergrad and postgrad. And don't bother googling Tim Urban and Keith Urban. They're not related.

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Feb 8, 2022Liked by John Birmingham

Great advice, JB. If I could add one little mental technique it would be envisioning how horrible it feels when you're hard up against the deadline with all the work yet to do, and coupling that with the mantra "do it NOW!" to remind yourself you have the power to avoid that sickening anxiety and stress. In combination with your techniques, procrastination doesn't stand a chance!

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Excellent responses below, JB - and a terrific piece of writing from you. Feeling a bit above it because to-day I put in a couple of hours on my current project...I never procrastinated when I was in secondary school - last minute under the tutor's door before 9.00am at university was a thing - but generally speaking into my professional career always a self-motivated get-it-all-done ASAP. Until retirement. Despite a carefully kept diary of a major pilgrimage (the 1200 km 88-temple path around Shikoku) I walked as my farewell to many years in Japan it took me 18 months to get it properly written up. Reverse culture shock I like to blame, but...procrastination it was...Much to mull over in this diagnosis-and-cure package. Thanks.

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I have to admit I read Pomo hour as porn hour and thought 'I didn't need to know that!'

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I love the metaphor 'The Dark Playground' -brilliant piece JB, did you write it out when you had something else you were meant to be writing?

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Thank you for this. I of course knew all of this, as I too have built scaffolding around my own bullshit. Now I've enjoyed procastinating finishing this bit of work by reading your essay, I'm going to click start on the pomodoro timer that is LITERALLY OPEN ON THE OTHER SCREEN FROM MY EMAIL!

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Heaps of examples! Heaps helpful.

Got a good laugh from the playground pic, spy cats and endless wikipedia searches.

Got 20 mins into a Pomodoro sesh - manuscript - when up popped a reminder to prep for a video appointment.

Darn.

Anyways, after recoup time, happily diverted my creative energy to resizing a new dress.

Hehehe.

Anyway, tomorrow morning I'll 'av another go.

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