Work Withdrawal, You Can Get Through It.

I apologize for the lack of posts lately. I've been thrown into this thing called "The Holidays" where we don't work for a few days. I've been having a hard time adjusting. How am I supposed to blog when I don't sit in front of a computer all day and get bored? I figure that some of you might be going through the same thing so I think today's post should be: How to Survive the Work Withdrawal Period.

Note: This may be posted in parts because as "The Holidays" continue more instances might arise that I will have to properly assess and then remedy.

I'll start with the obvious--come to terms with the fact that you and the computer are a separate person. I know it's hard. You spend all day with Computer. He is your window to the internet, email, chatting, blogging, solitaire, maybe even online poker. Whatever you use him for, he is there for you. Unless you have my work computer who betrayed me. (I did get to leave early on Friday for those of you who read my PC and Me post...the screen turned a neon blue and I got the hell out of dodge.)

In order to fill the void of Computer you will need to replace it with something else. Like exercise. Ok ok, I'll be realistic--food. Let food be your window to new and undiscovered things. Work deprives you of binge eating so why not try it now while you have the chance.

Here's another big one--stop feeling guilty for doing nothing related to work. While at work we often find ourselves doing things other than work. It could range from taking a ridiculously long time to get coffee to facebook stalking for endless hours. I personally find myself strolling to the bathroom instead of rushing. Or remembering I need to email an old friend and describe every bit of detail going on in my life, down to what I'm wearing that day and what I ate for breakfast.

During these bouts of stalling a cloud of guilt soon settles over my head and rains down on my procrastination parade. So, when at home, watching TV or chatting mindlessly with a friend or family member, or sleeping in, and guilt barges in uninvited, remind yourself that it is A-OK to be lazy. Maybe you'll be SO lazy during your mini vacation that you'll be dying to do work on Monday! Right.

And last, but not least, for today--You can say whatever you want to now. Take advantage. I have a political preference that does not match my fellow coworkers. Any of them. I am the token (insert my political preference) in the office. Because I am currently positioned at the bottom of the totem pole I can't exactly nip their "casual" comments in the butt, or debate their (insert offending adjective) views with my intelligent points. I simple muster a half-smile, try not to sever my tongue, and give them a good ol' "aw shucks" shrug that really means "Coward. Trying your political points out on me since you know I can't fully disagree and tell you you're dillusional. Yet."

Now I can fully voice my opinions and comments to anyone, and anywhere, I please. I might just walk around the house spouting off every thought that goes through my head just because I can. (Bet all of you are glad we're only cyber-friends now, huh? You won't have to listen to any of my rants.)

Check back tomorrow for Part II.

Procrastination

I recently read (most of) an article about constructive procrastination. I got bored halfway through the article and started thinking about unconstructive procrastination. I then realized that I was procrastinating reading an article about procrastination, by thinking about procrastination, while already procrastinating doing work. And so I went further into this double, or triple, entendre and wrote a blog entry about a past instance of procrastination:


Simply being in the library made me feel like I was being productive. I could be chatting on AIM, whispering to a friend, watching The Office with headphones, whatever, the fact that I was in the library was enough to allow myself to take a break from work. If it was 9pm I calculated that if I wrote a page every hour until 7am (yes, I was queen of all-nighters in college) I would have 10 pages written with a few hours left to edit and proofread before the 9am deadline. The next 8 hours or so would consist of complete and utter disaster. I would convince a friend to join me on my all night adventure in the library. A passionate, two hour, whispered conversation over Lost theories would ensue, followed by a trip to Café Brazil “to try a new setting” (result: an indulgence in French toast and coffee, no work accomplished, and a drive back to prison, I mean the library). Then sleep deprivation and the caffeine would kick in causing a series of hysterical laughter set off by nothing humorous whatsoever (a sneeze, pencil breaking, door slamming, floor creaking, you name it). Although it’s hours before the deadline I feel confident I will succeed in writing an A worthy paper. I convince myself that this is how I work—these hours of avoiding productivity are a part of the process. I need the procrastination in order to succeed. Suddenly, it’s 4am and panic strikes. Fear of failure kicks in. I am terrified I will not finish. I imagine my professor shaking his head in disappointment as he writes an enormous red F written at the top of my pathetic paper and I become furious I have wasted so much time… I emerge from the library at 8:55am, blinking in the bright sunlight. I barely remember the last five hours. Somehow, my inner genius showed up, took over my body, and produced a paper. I have no idea if it’s an A or a C paper. Who cares. I finished. It’s over.

As is your (and my) procrastination period.