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[Jamie Phelps]

Sometimes, I get into a funk where I don't want to do anything. I kill time with stupid shit and let the clock tick by. I don't think this is procrastination because I'm usually pretty aware of when I am procrastinating and procrastination is typically accompanied by some specific task that I don't want to do.

Anyone else experience anything like this?

[SteveC]

Yep.  Frequently.

For me it usually happens at home.  I've taken to reminding myself that I am allowed to do nothing at home.  I don't have to spend every waking hour usefully occupied. 

At work the (possibly related) problem is not switching to a secondary task when the primary gets stalled -- particularly when the primary one is something I don't want to do, but which is important.  Been happening all day today 

[Matt Wood]

All the time, mostly on days when I've been doing a lot of chores at home or wrestling with my son.  I think I'm going to sit down when I have some free time and do something productive, and it just doesn't happen.  I've learned it's okay to take a nap or watch TV for no reason sometimes.

[MarinaMartin]

Anyone else experience anything like this?

I definitely do. This is why I'm a fan of a very long Next Actions list, because there are plenty of things to keep me busy no matter what kind of mood I'm in. If I'm feeling sluggish, it's a good time to shake out the laundry room rugs or wander to the Farmer's Market I've been meaning to check out.

I actually have projects like "Watch Every Johnny Depp Film" because I enjoy his work and I consider my entertainment/enjoyment of life to be an equally important goal to all others. It's very rewarding to check of "Watch Edward Scissorhands" on my Next Actions list, and it helps keep me goal-oriented no matter what my mood.

I do not have a television, nor have I any desire for one, but I definitely have the desire to "zone out" sometimes, which is why I try to plan ahead and watch TED Talks or other interesting online video that may be of more value than Nick at Nite reruns.

[Shane McCarron]

What happens with me is something I call "revving".  I get into this feedback loop where I *know* I have a ton of things to do, I can't pick one, they all seem important, everyone wants something yesterday, and AAAAAAAAHHH!! 

When that happens, I suggest tequila.  You can mix it or shoot it, but either way it tends to slow my brain down just enough that I can get onto the next thing.  The next thing might be a nap, of course.  Depends on how much tequila is involved.

[Jason Echols]

What happens with me is something I call "revving".  I get into this feedback loop where I *know* I have a ton of things to do, I can't pick one, they all seem important, everyone wants something yesterday, and AAAAAAAAHHH!! 

When that happens, I suggest tequila.  You can mix it or shoot it, but either way it tends to slow my brain down just enough that I can get onto the next thing.  The next thing might be a nap, of course.  Depends on how much tequila is involved.

Wish I could get away with that one.   

[Allen H.]

On Revving (maybe we should start a thread on that...):
   Liquor does seem to help- it dumbs down the brain and enables you to start on something.  For some reason, when all things are equally important and urgent, and there's more than say 2, maybe 3, my brain goes into "endless loop" mode, and I generally drop all the important tasks and move to a completely unrelated unimportant task.  I can't explain it.
   A good friend of mine also used to do all his studying on 1/2 wine, 1/2 water.  [Well, he was French.]  So, yes, liquor can be useful in moderation.

On Lazy Days (back to the topic):
   There are definitely days I'd call "lazy." I think that's the best way to put it.  Not trying to demean it in any way... in fact the Taoists might say (if I have my reference right) that to be a lazy monkey is the best way to be.  Not doing anything, not needing to do anything.  [see Lin Yu Tang]  Sometimes the brain just needs to shut-down and we need to "not do."  I'm positive this was the purpose of the Sabbath.  I also suspect that this is one of the great benefits to the simplest forms of meditation.

-Allen

[Tim Glinatsis]

I've experienced this countless times.

It usually hits me when I stumble upon a fairly active forum dedicated to something I'm passionate about. For some reason, I end up sifting through post after post, devouring info, taking notes...

..and then I end up posting. After that, I post some more.

Most of the time, I end up posting/reading/browsing for substantial chunks of time.

What a waste, right?

Nah, I pull a classic DA trick and write down "contributed to work.life.creativity forums" on my @Web list, cross it off, then re-write it so I have an excuse for next time.

 

[Allen H.]

@Tim - Awesome!   

[dustinmclaughlin]

Sometimes, I get into a funk where I don't want to do anything. I kill time with stupid shit and let the clock tick by. I don't think this is procrastination because I'm usually pretty aware of when I am procrastinating and procrastination is typically accompanied by some specific task that I don't want to do.

Anyone else experience anything like this?

I think that is essentially a lesser form of procrastination. I think people don't realize they are procrastinating because certain things don't have a set deadline. Do you do this with items on your to-do list that have deadlines? If not, then start putting a deadline on all your to-do-list items.

[MarinaMartin]

Nah, I pull a classic DA trick and write down "contributed to work.life.creativity forums" on my @Web list, cross it off, then re-write it so I have an excuse for next time.

Heh. I put checking this forum on my Daily Action Cards, so I get to check it off every single day

[shris]

Sometimes, I get into a funk where I don't want to do anything. I kill time with stupid shit and let the clock tick by. ...
Anyone else experience anything like this?

All the time. This happens to me especially when I haven't had good sleep the night before. For me it's a lack of energy even more than a lack of desire. There might be any number of useful things I could be doing, but mental exhaustion or heavy eyelids or something convinces me I deserve some unproductive time.

On this project, I end up doing some brainless, trivial bit of spreadsheet data analysis instead of the more important, urgent stuff.

I liken it to the need to spend some time with your eyeballs out of focus after you've been reading technical manuals for a while. Action/Reaction. But it isn't, really. If I have good sleep I have almost endless ability to focus on important stuff, even to the exclusion of food and drink.

And it doesn't have to be just 'not enough hours' of sleep either. If I get 8 hours, but they're interrupted, I feel equally drained the next day.

shris

[esc.lt]

Sometimes, I get into a funk where I don't want to do anything. I kill time with stupid shit and let the clock tick by. I don't think this is procrastination because I'm usually pretty aware of when I am procrastinating and procrastination is typically accompanied by some specific task that I don't want to do.

Anyone else experience anything like this?

Yep, same here...like the person somewhere before me said, I'm reminded that I'm ALLOWED to do nothing while at home...

[Luther]

The antidote to this is think about your wife or God (no, matey, it is not the same thing!!) looking over your shoulder.  Are you using your time responsibly?  When I die, and everyone I know gets to watch the boring film of my life, I really don't want them to say, "Man would you look at that!-- he is searching for Paris Hilton home video AGAIN!!!"  Call me paranoid, but don't call me late for dinner.