Tilde wants to know how we prevent ourselves from starting new projects. I am the queen of starting new projects so in the interest of seeing if my sub conscious had any better ideas than my conscious mode, I made a list of one to ten and filled it in really fast to see what came to the surface-such as it is.
1. don't buy
2. don't look at books
3. don't unfinish (?)
4. don't put away
5. don't panic-there will aways be more
Here I reached a plateau and had to refuel. Must. Write. Five. More.
6. Delay I can delay just for today
7. Sleep on it.
8. Sleep on it again.
9. Form a Plan.
10. Cut up credit cards.
Now it is clear why I am the Queen, I need your help!! How do you stay on track and Prevent New Starts, (PNS)??? Do we need a Recovery Plan? Do we need Professional Help?
How do you do it? Are we responsible for keeping the online fabric stores in business?
Clearly my subconscious is not co operating. Take this challenge with me. Make a list from one to ten-fill in the ways you prevent new starts-quick! let your inner self use the pen. Then post a link in the comments I will award a fat quarter to the person whose answer Tilde likes the most!
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7 comments:
I definately need professional help...
I always underestimate the amout of time that it takes to do anything/everything. I start thinking "this will be a quick finish" Or "I want to use the scraps from this for that." & my newest - I want to use up "x" so I need to do the cutting for ALL of the projects that I want to use that particular "X" in... (Last night "X" was non-cat novelty prints...)
Here's how I did it. You may not have enough time though. Spend 30 years nagging elementary school children to finish projects so they can be marked. Every time I want to start something new I hear my teacher voice saying, "Have you finished your last project yet?". Hey, it works for me!
I agree that I always underestimate the time it will take to do something!
I wish I had an inner school teacher coaching me to behave!
What a good topic. I am definitely one that would be considered an expert on that topic, or even a novice, but it sounds like good blog fodder to me. Let me think on it, and I will post something tonight.
my only tactic is to give myself firm deadlines for finishing current projects - these can be artificial or real. Real: birthday, wedding, hosting gifts, challenges with entry dates (this is a really good deadline). Artificial: before company arrives or before guild meeting so that you can 'show and tell', clear the 'current projects' bin to the bottom before starting another...
10 ways not to start writing a paper @ Starbucks
by jenny
1. read email
2. update calendar with all the stuff from the email
3. buy coffee and muffin
4. email the boss
5. "research" some more
6. read mom's blog
7. comment on mom's blog
8. check on myspace for new comments
9. shop for summer clothes at oldnavy.com, target.com, gap.com...
10. read email
I too am tempted to start new projects before I finish the tasks at hand --One way I delay starting a new project is to make my "quilt" on paper - I drag out my colored pencils, markers, and graph paper and go to town. This usually satisfies me enough that I can get back to the ufo I should be working on. Another thing I'll do is to make some sample blocks of the "new project" (using scrap fabric) to see if it really is something I would be interested in doing in the future. Lastly, when I buy any amount of fabric over a half yard I cut a three inch strip and subcut a three inch square - I organize my swatches by color in plastic bags - so that when I'm in the mood I can take out my swatches and experiment with fabric combos for future quilts - this also helps to satisfy my "creative" itch so I can get back to the task at hand. Hope that helps.
LJ
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