Fri Apr 24 07:08:14 PM +0800 2026 #208 ✎
I often fell into a cycle where I would want to work on something but end up procrastinating. Then because I had wasted so much time and still had all this work to do I'd cancel other plans and keep trying to work instead. Which meant I would end up stressed and poorly rested - and more likely to procrastinate. In this way procrastination would manage to crowd out not just work but everything else in my life. This is especially hard when working alone and working at home because there is no delineation of work time. If I can work whenever I want I can also feel guilty about not working whenever I want. The best way I've found to counter this is to set explicit work hours. I'll commit in advance to working during some short period, say 1000-1300. During that time I'm either working or just staring out the window - no displacement activities. If I'm feeling good I'll usually keep working much longer, but if I'm not getting anywhere I'll just call it a day as soon as the time is up. Either way, once I'm finished for the day I put all my work stuff away behind a screen and endeavor not to think about anything work-related for the rest of the day. It's not a perfect solution, but I've found that having this clear delineation not only protects non-work time but also makes it easier for me to focus intensely during work hours. On days when I'm struggling I think "it's only 3 hours, that's not so hard" and then often after 3 hours I'm feeling much better and find it easy to keep going. There is also a clear start point, which prevents me from spending the whole day thinking that I'll start "in a minute, I'll just read this one more thing". Even if I go a whole week only managing 3 hours each day, that still keeps the momentum going and preserves the habit of starting each morning. https://www.scattered-thoughts.net/writing/emotional-management/
