My spoonful of sugar method for finishing projects
I moved up my writing deadline. Here's how I sweetened the deal.
I recently started reading a book called Slow Productivity by Cal Newport. I’ve read a couple of his other books, Digital Minimalism and Deep Work, and I’m all in on his ethos to do less, giving you the means to produce more thoughtful work. He’s one of those authors that I read more to validate my existing beliefs than to garner new ones.
It feels most natural to me to work slowly. I do my best work when it’s quiet, and my desk is clean, and my inbox is empty, which gives me the space I need to dive in and spread my arms like I’ve got an entire ocean to myself.
I love to work. And I love letting my creativity run wild, free from judgment or restraint.
For me, getting to write or design is delicious. Sometimes I wonder if I work slowly not because I’m short on ideas but because I’m so enraptured in the experience that I don’t want it to end.
And so I drag it out. I add extra words. I try different colors. I savor the opportunity to express myself and the challenge to make something beautiful out of it.
In my story, a deadline is villainous, the one saying it’s time to stop playing. Like the mean parent telling me that it’s time to get out of the ocean because I’ve swam enough.
Sometimes we have to meet work deadlines. Other times we need to step up and fulfill our dreams. It’s never easy. But maybe it doesn’t need to be that hard either.
In the rest of this post, I’m going to share why I voluntarily moved up a deadline and how I’m actually enjoying the process of finishing. If you’ve been procrastinating, this one is for you.
In this and every post you’ll also find:
✍️ Three creative exercises
🌞 Five good things that happened last week
💬 A prompt to set your intentions for the new week
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