Procrastination

I just wrote this long response to a forum post and I'd like to share it with you guys.  With camp coming upon us (it starts in a week!), procrastination is going to be a really big problem for a lot of us.  I choose to combat it in a "positive reinforcement" sort of way:

I'm horrible at procrastinating. Everyone knows when I've got a big project or deadline coming up because my room is spotless and the fridge is cleaned out. I'm hoping that camp next month will really whip me back into shape. My daily word count has been a roller-coaster of totals. I'll go days without writing, even when I have a dedicated two hour block in the middle of my day. Most of the time, that time is spend doing things like...not writing. Tumblr is a big distraction. So is Facebook. Next month, I think I'll go on a reward system like I did last summer. For every 1k words, I get something small and at the end of the day, if I hit a certain amount, I get a certain reward. Like:

For every:
1k - 5 minutes on Tumblr (Yes, I actually use a timer...otherwise, I will cheat)

If I reach:
2k - A cookie
3k - A movie...
4k - ...with popcorn
5k - ...and a box of candy from the general store across the street
6k - An extra Sugar Free Red Bull tomorrow
10k - (yeah, right...) An hour on Tumblr! Uninterrupted! Unlimited Scrolling! Oh my!

Or something like that. On different days, I have different rewards. And I have one for the end of the week as well and it's usually something meaningful like going on a date night with my boyfriend. Oh, and If I make the word count goal for the day, I put 5 dollars in a jar. Then, at the end of the month, I get to spend it on something geeky and writery...just for myself. Writing (especially since I haven't gotten any novels published yet) can seem so unrewarding at times. The satisfaction of completing a story is great and I love that feeling. It's the best feeling in the world - like a hot shower after a camping trip or being able to breath after you get over a bad cold/allergies - but sometimes it doesn't feel like it's enough. Sometimes it's just the little things that keep me going. Especially on those days where the plot doesn't seem to be going anywhere, or when it feels like a really boring scene (throw in some ninjas!).

I'd like to wish everyone a productive and prolific session of camp in April!  You don't have to be alone.  Wrimos are always helpful and are willing to do word wars.  :)  Including myself.