What I do when I can’t be bothered

Before the ink is dry the panic has already set in.

You’ve just signed a deal – a book deal.

And not only that but in the contract, you’ve promised your publisher thousands – yes thousands (and thousands) of words.

Words that must make sense, educate, inform and entertain.

And deep down you know the truth.

You know that half of you is as lazy as a teenager who’s on the last threat to tidy his room and the other half needs constant stimulation to stay interested in anything for more than 15 minutes.

Welcome to the world of writing a book.

My publisher once told me that 95% of her authors handed in their manuscript on the final day of their deadline.

‘And the other 5%?’ I asked.

‘Oh, they miss it’

When I can’t be bothered to write, I have a sure fire, three step solution:

To start, I play a track from my ‘Get off your arse’ playlist.  Currently, it’s ‘Dream On’ Amy Macdonald. Before that, it was ‘Go!’ by Public Service Broadcasting.

I stand up and throw my body around in a crazy, dad-dancing, bad-bopping attempt to find my natural rhythm. I’m still looking for it.

If you should be walking past my office and accidently witness this awful scene I apologise – please don’t call 999 – I’m alright. Just dancin’.

Then I write. I write anything because I know I can only have my first coffee/tea, slice of butter-drenched toast and marmalade after I’ve written 500 words.

This delayed gratification technique has helped me more than any other during those can’t be bothered mornings.

500 words THEN have the cuppa.

I penned a chapter on this single idea in my book How To Save An Hour Every Day* and receive loads of comments from readers saying it’s helped them to overcome the evil of procrastination. It’s on page 26.

Be Brilliant!

Michael
*An excellent book on time management and still the only book of its kind to come with a 100% success guarantee.

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