CReative activities. When to swap?

[Stef]

Hallo there,

I have a problem who hunts me everyday....

As I have been made redundant from my last employer (in 2007), I have been running a couple of online websites/blogs in order to get some passive income. I love working on my websites, but as I have an income close to the zero, by now I am also looking for a job which is not easy due to many factors.

In other words, I am in a situation I have NOT wanted but try to make the best out of it.

I have no problem in concentrating, instead I concentrate so much on an activity - especially if i like - that I am unable to stop in order to start working on something else.

I am not just speaking about work/job seeking activities, but also about silly household tasks as cooking or paying bills.

To make stopping even less motivating, if the fact that it is better to bring creative activities as writing (text) or writing software to their conclusion, instead of stopping on the clock and start again the following day (when you do not remember anything likely...)

I wonder - should any of you pursue similar creative activities - how do you deal with the activity-swap?

Thanks.
Stef

[Ralph]

I'm in the similar line of work. Multitasking comes to me naturally, I'm usually all over the place and it's focusing on a single project that's been a challenge.

Perhaps that's just your usual style of work? Think about adjusting the nature of your work to fit that. Commit for large blocks of time for working on an e-book, a long article or a product.

[simonsta]

Your story is all too familiar as it reminds me of me! I know how you feel. I get so much into the 'zone' it's hard to pull myself out. Do you recognize any of these things too?

@ No matter how much I get done, I always feel I could do more.
@ I can't relax - I just want to get back to my work.
@ I don't call family or friends as much as I would like.
@ I don't find much time for me.
@ I hate going away for days at a time without having access to my work.

Sound familiar?

I solved this problem, eventually, but it was hard work. I had to learn how to do it. There wasn't a magic wand, or silver bullet - I just had to develop the right attitude and discipline!

[dice]

Originally Posted by simonsta

Your story is all too familiar as it reminds me of me! I know how you feel. I get so much into the 'zone' it's hard to pull myself out. Do you recognize any of these things too?

@ No matter how much I get done, I always feel I could do more.
@ I can't relax - I just want to get back to my work.
@ I don't call family or friends as much as I would like.
@ I don't find much time for me.
@ I hate going away for days at a time without having access to my work.

Sound familiar?

I solved this problem, eventually, but it was hard work. I had to learn how to do it. There wasn't a magic wand, or silver bullet - I just had to develop the right attitude and discipline!

Can we trade? I'm the total opposite:

@ minimal work is best
@ i usually never really 'complete' anything. about 90% done and I'm satisfied.
@ I'm never ever stressed, always zen, mind is rarely on 'work'
@ all of my time seems to be for me
@ im always talking to friends, always surrounded by friends, always 'free anytime'
@ i usually forget about my work completely if I take a break for 1 day.

(I'm very 'laa-de-da-de-daa' chilled and laid back)

How did you develop that 'problem'? Hahaha I'd really like to know! Maybe I can find a good middle ground.

[Trezker]

I think all these items are based in habits.
If you find it hard to switch tasks, maybe you "just" need to install the habit of switching tasks. Do a 30 day trial and see what happens.

[Stef]

To be honest, my case is far from simonsta and dice cases.

My problem is that I find beneficial not to stop and loose concentration on activities until the activity is completed.
With writitng, when at least the draft is finished (it might also take 1 whole day if the case is complex).

With software development when I solve the issue. Also here: it might take minutes, hours or days...

I interrupt the activity just by exaustion, when i am really saying "stop by now", but it is a stop for all the activities...as i want to rest...

[Stef]

Originally Posted by Trezker

I think all these items are based in habits.
If you find it hard to switch tasks, maybe you "just" need to install the habit of switching tasks. Do a 30 day trial and see what happens.

30 day trial? I even cannot commit to my 1st day to-do-list as i get stuck on the first activity...if it is one of those activities...:-(

[Trezker]

Maybe you are afraid that if you stop while you're in the flow you wont get the flow back next time you work on it. This will often be true as long as you hold that fear.

Try it. Force yourself to stop working, don't even pick up a different task right away, just go for a walk and let the mind forget the task you worked on.

Try the pattern work 30 minutes, walk 30 minutes, work, walk, work...
The point of this is to get away from your workstation so you can't slip back into work.

After doing this for some time, try replacing the walks with tasks. If you succeed you can work 30 minutes alternately on different tasks.