AW is now my #1 Procrastination. Argh.

ACMeehan · Nov 12, 2018

I'm new to AW and new to boards in general and am trying to get the hang of both. Which in my head sounds like a legitimate reason to spend all my precious writing time rooting around in various forums and soaking up communal wisdom. At least I'm learning. Prior to AW, distraction/procrastination usually meant stupid games on my phone, which I can solve by leaving said phone across the room. But the browser is just a few icons away from Scrivener... next thing you know, the cat is demanding his bedtime snack and I have still not done the revising chore I promised myself I'd do last week! (Once Henry decides it's snack-time, my evening is essentially in wind-down mode. I pretend I have a say in the matter, but he'll happily knock things off all horizontal surfaces until I close the laptop and Pay Attention.)

What's your favorite AW forum for justifiable procrastination?

Ari Meermans · Nov 12, 2018

It depends. I used to spend too much time here in Office Party looking for laughs. Then I went through a phase in the Cooking forum. Lately, I've been spending a lot of time in the Library looking for new books to read. Gotta stop that, though, 'cause I keep running through my book budget too early in the month. So these days, I just meander from room to room. I suspect I'll soon be spending a LOT of time in SFF for the annual Sekrit Solstice Sci-Fi Fantasy Story Swap (or Sisyphus, as we call it).

Chase · Nov 14, 2018

ACMeehan said:
AW is now my #1 Procrastination.

Ditto. I don't Tweet, Twitter, or have an online Book to Face, so AW is my #1 morning social :Hug2:

and antisocial :rant:

screen media.

Mostly, I lurk, trying to soak up as much education :Lecture:

as I can to help in my day (and sometimes far into the night) job of editing novels. It's here for free.

The Old Farts sorely need my wisdom in Office Party, and sometimes I'm able to spend my grand total of two cents worth of opinion in Grammar and Syntax in the Discussion thread. :greenie

ACMeehan · Nov 17, 2018

Chase said:
Mostly, I lurk

I see that and your 8,557 posts, and wonder...

So many, many interesting things to spend two cents on in this AW universe. I like your idea of baking it into a routine. I cut myself off for a couple of days and did manage to get some revising accomplished, so I don't think I've got the balance yet.

Maryn · Nov 18, 2018

As I recall it, at one time various websites offered countdown timers to help us keep track of time spent online. You opened it in a separate tab or window, went about your business, and eventually it rang and you got back to what you were supposed to be doing. But that's pretty primitive, no better than a kitchen timer, plus it depends on the user doing what they ought to. We all know that doesn't always work.

I bet there are now ways to have a countdown timer that warns you when it's near the end of the time you set, then shuts the browser down. You are done!

AW Admin · Nov 18, 2018

ACMeehan said:
I see that and your 8,557 posts, and wonder...

That's over the course of ten years, averaging 2.1 posts per day.

Ambrosia · Nov 18, 2018

Maryn said:
I bet there are now ways to have a countdown timer that warns you when it's near the end of the time you set, then shuts the browser down. You are done!

Frankly, I think that would be a horrible thing. What if you are in the middle of doing something or reading something important. The time runs out and zap! you are gone. No, I can say I would not like that at all.

Chase · Nov 18, 2018

Chase said:
Mostly, I lurk

ACMeehan said:
I see that and your 8,557 posts, and wonder...

AW Admin said:
That's over the course of ten years, averaging 2.1 posts per day.

I was rousing myself from my usual lurk :chair

to respond to AC when Admin did it better--with math, even (the most difficult being the .1 posts).

I can see from AC's 10-post viewpoint how 8,557 seem a lot--until compared with most other ten-year members (or with some only posting a year). :welcome:

, AC. I'm sure you'll pass 8,557 posts before you know it. :cape:

Okay, this counts as my .1 post. Back to full time lurking and part time composing 2.0 mandatory posts :greenie

.

ACMeehan · Nov 18, 2018

Chase said:
Admin did it better--with math

Ahhhh, math. Yes, put in scale it's all quite reasonable.

Michael Myers · Nov 18, 2018

Ambrosia said:
No, I can say I would not like that at all.

I will not use them in the rain.
I will not use them on a train.
Not in the dark! Not in a tree!
Not in a car! You let me be!
I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them with a fox.
I will not use them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere!
I do not like schedules and spam!
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

Apologies to Theodor Suess Geisel.

Ambrosia · Nov 18, 2018

I've inspired Michael to write poetry (with apologies, too!). My job is done here. :greenie

Brightdreamer · Nov 18, 2018

There are browser plugins like LeechBlock and StayFocused - you can set them for specific times and days of the week when you should be doing something else, and they'll only block specific sites for that given time. They do not interfere otherwise, and there's no countdown timer. (Though StayFocused allows you a given "grace" time during the blackout period - ten minutes as default - before routing you to a Shouldn't You Be Working? page instead. Gives you enough time to wrap up what you're doing, usually.)

RookieWriter · Nov 18, 2018

I checked out of this place for the whole weekend to focus on getting more done, especially some of my screenplay writing which I am way behind on. I just found other ways to procrastinate.

brightspark · Nov 25, 2018

Reading threads on askreddit is my number one way to procastinate but every now and again I lurk on here and read queries in share your work (and sometimes give feedback too!) I think I've passively soaked in lots of knowledge about how to write a query letter so at least it's sort of productive procastination?

AW is now my #1 Procrastination. Argh.

ACMeehan

Ari Meermans

MacAllister's Official Minion & Greeter

Chase

It Takes All of Us to End Racism

ACMeehan

Maryn

At Sea

AW Admin

Ambrosia

Grand Duchess

Chase

It Takes All of Us to End Racism

ACMeehan

Michael Myers

Take a chance. Amaze yourself.

Ambrosia

Grand Duchess

Brightdreamer

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

RookieWriter

brightspark