Gaming the Lemon Tree

Ah, procrastination.  Where would I be without you?  Probably in my beach-side condo enjoying the fruits of my best-selling novel, stopping only to refresh my mojito and consult with my stock broker.  But, alas you are a lemon tree.  Generous in providing a constant supply of lemons for my lemonade making pleasure.  Can I game the Lemon Tree?  Can I actually use procrastination to my benefit? 

Ways I creatively procrastinate:

Scenario 1 - I've been putting off starting a big project.  I also hate doing the dishes.  So, I decide that I only have to set up my project and get started on the first part.  I get the project set up and all of a sudden, those dishes have to be washed right now, by gum.  This works so well, that sometimes I'll pull out the big project even when I don't need to work on it, just to scare myself into doing chores. 

Scenario 2 - I've hit a slow spot in my WIP.  All of a sudden, that idea that has been percolating in the back of my head starts demanding attention.  Write me now, write me now.  In the past, I would just drop what I was doing and run after the new shiny.  But, I've learned to seduce myself with the new activity.  If I get one more page done, then I can procrastinate with the new idea.  Then working on the new thing seems more like a guilty pleasure than work. 

Scenario 3 - Reading.  OMG, I love to read.  You see the books I've read column?  Those are only the ones I've finished.  Multiply that by about four or five, to account for the ones I scanned or didn't finish, and you get some kind of idea of my literary appetite.  *I used to finish every book I started, but if it doesn't do it for me, away it goes.  Life is too short for sucky books.*  When I'm in a big project, I limit my reading to books on writing and those in my genre (unless a book comes out by a favorite author, like today.) Go, Kim, Go.
  That way, if the reading jones hits me too hard, I am still working.  I'm reading about my craft or doing market research. 

There are so many activities to choose from during my day.  I try to keep a steady supply of profitable ones in rotation, so that if I'm running from one, I'm still moving forward.  For someone like me, with a short attention span, it is a remarkably efficient way to stay on track. 

What ways do you all have to creatively procrastinate?


Here's an interview with Ms. Harrison. Enjoy!