eydis

Yes, it’s this late and I haven’t done much today. But this green tea is amazing! I’ve only taken a few sips of it and I already feel better and like doing some work.

So here’s a list of what I want to get done today:
- go through my article notes
- write a few ideas for every point in the outline of chapters 3 and 4
- think about my experimental model for a little bit.

...collected from comments & discussions all over the place…

1. Clearing your thoughts
   Clear your thoughts of extraneous stuff. “Part-of-me-that-worries, shut up and let me get some work done, so you can worry about something else.”
2. Pen and paper
   Try to limit the time when you need to be in front of the computer..
3. The egg-timer trick
   Think about what you should be able to accomplish in 15 minutes. Set an egg-timer for 15 minutes, and do that task you visualized. You can eventually work up to larger increments. You’ll probably find yourself beating the timer in some cases.
   You are allowed to switch tasks after 15 minutes.
4. Exercise
   Body and mind are connected – it seems that exercising might help
5. Low caffeine (if any)
   Drink 1 cup of green tea instead of coffee. This might actually help me to stay focused
6. Value of outcome
   Think about the value of the outcome and about the missed opportunities.
7. Reality check
   Basically, life doesn’t suck enough, or you haven’t found a passion. It makes all the difference in the world. No mind tricks, just a nice reality check. You don’t get a second chance at life so you better start deciding how to live it.
8. Stop punishing yourself
   Punishing yourself won’t help, on the contrary. Disentangle thinking from emotions.
9. Remove the distraction
   ...such as the direct connection to the Internet (unplug the cable or smth)
10. Break project into smaller pieces
    This should help. And also, remember that the only difficult part is to GET IT STARTED!
11. Read e-mail just once or twice a day
    I’m not sure how this would work for me..
12. Get your circadian cycle in sync
    Wake up at the same hour, go to bed early enough, this sort of stuff
13. Worry Pad
    Have a small notebook and write down for later consideration every thought that might come to your mind so that you are not distracted from studying
14. Sitting Quietly (from Daniel Pinkwater’s book Fishwhistle)
    Sit down for an half-an-hour a day, at your desk. No distractions, no extra stuff to work on, and just one project to finish. Take a quick, zen-cleansing breath, and don’t think about everything else you have to do. (Don’t panic, if what you have to get done takes more than that time, I’m just saying you have to sit for that time.)
15. Complete Something Every Day (from Daniel Pinkwater’s book Fishwhistle)
    Do something that you can complete in one day, and do one of every day. If it’s a book, slice it up into chapters or 10 pages or whatever. If it’s one calculus set, use that. Do that every day, at the same time, once a day. It give some sense of accomplishment, gets you practiced at doing something on a regular basis.
16. Work scent
    Light a candle when working so that you associate what you’re doing with its scent. Then this will function as a reminder to work.
17. Just write one sentence
    Make a deal with yourself: just write one sentence. That small amount might get you going.
18. Just sit
    If you don’t work, just sit there. Do not read slashdot. Do not read Usenet. Do not browse the web. Do not pick your nose. Do not look out of your window. Just sit. You’ll soon get so bored you’d rather work.
19. Don’t be paralyzed during the first draft.
    What you’re writing doesn’t have to be perfect. Just WRITE for a while, and let it take the shape it’s going to have. It’s much better to write a first draft that you have to throw out entirely than to sit there without writing anything.
20. Practice delaying gratification on other things
    Don’t allow yourself to do what you want for a certain period of time. If you want to watch your favourite show for instance, move the TV to a neighbors if you have to, but make sure you deprive yourself of this pleasure.

OK, after having abandoned this site for a few months, I just decided that I will give it another try.

I deleted most of my former goals and am now reorganizing them.

Stop procrastinating – Focus no. 1: I need to finish my Master thesis. Really. I will keep this as a separate objective from now on.