Procrastination
One of the greater challenges that I have to face as a self employed freelance writer is the fact that I am my own boss. Which means that if I procrastinate on facebook, I am the one who has to scold me. And I am doing it, but it feels quite schizophrenic. It goes a bit like this:
me-boss: You should be researching about the best healing herbs for this article.
me-me: But look at this status update of my high school classmate! She had twins! I wonder how her husband looks... Let me stalk a bit!
me-boss: But you have not seen or talked to her for 10 years.
me-me:Still more interesting than the article.
me-boss: You shall not get payed then.
me-me: Ok, give me 10 more minutes!
...........after 10 minutes..........
me-boss: I guess you started your research?
me-me:....
me-boss: Oh my God! How did you end up on tumblr for Christ sake ?! Is that how you plan to make a living as an independent woman?
me-me: Ok, ok, I am starting...
............after 5 seconds..............
me-me: I am hungry. Me need pasta.
me-boss: No!
me-me: Me need fuel!
You get the point. And on top of that I feel guilty because I disappoint myself. I would not mind procrastination that much, if I was doing something that helped me become a better or happier person while procrastinating. If I read a book, for example. Or if I went for a walk. Or did some yoga, to correct my terrible slouchy posture. But no. All my procrastination goes to the internet. I guess that if I did read a book or did yoga, it would be called a proper brake and not procrastination anyway.
The terrible thing about procrastination is that everyone seems to be doing it. And by "everyone" I mean all freelancers. There is a rumor that this is why we work until the first morning hours (because we started actual work after hitting the panic button at around 9 p.m.). This means that you can find tons of people online to relate to. Which leads to procrastinating by reading articles about procrastination. Sad, isn't it?
Biking
In an attempt to brake this vicious cycle of late night work and all-day-long procrastination, mixed with a few hours of torture-work, I decided to set the alarm clock early today and go for a bike ride. Until yesterday, we had not bothered to find my partner's bike keys after the moving, so he used mine. But yesterday we did the brave move of looking through boxes and baskets and now my bike is mine again.
So today I woke up, had a shower, ate a clementine and a banana, wore green pants and my green coat and a super old blouse with the little price on it and looking like a 5 year-old tree, I rode my bike.
I went to Delfte Hout, a great area with lakes and a camping site just outside Delft. That is how it looks like:
I love this place. Since it was a weekday and I went during working hours, it was really quiet with just a few more bikers and a bunch of vibrant old ladies who walked briskly and chatted. I felt amazing. I was listening to Belle and Sebastian and was trying my balance, stirring the bike with one hand each time. Taking into consideration that I have not biked since I was 8 or 9 and I re-learned this year, I am doing pretty good.
It seems that Spring is slooooowly approaching here as well, since there were already tiny purple and white flowers blooming in several spots. The grass was thick and green and the lake was clear. I could not stop thinking that if I were at home I would be scrolling down status updates of people I do not even like or I would be reading stupid lifestyle articles or about yet one more nail on the coffin of Greek democracy. I felt so angry with myself that it took me that long to brake this circle. But I also felt great that I did, in the end.
Delftse Hout is the place where we are planning to do our wedding reception as well. We have yet to confirm the date and see if the two restaurants there can accommodate our needs. It takes some planning, but it is totally worth it. I am a Summer child and so is my partner and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate our love in nature, under the sun. Of course, the unpredictable Dutch weather is a risk that we will have to take, but what can you do? I am really hoping for good weather, so that we will be able to also swim (even though I am not sure that swimming after alcohol consumption is a good idea. In fact, now that I am writing it, it is a tremendously stupid idea. Sunbathing is still ok though.)
Delfte Hout also has great wooden cabins in its camping facilities and I was thinking that it would be great fun to stay there the night after the wedding. My brother already thinks we are two hippie, vegan freaks, so there is not much at stake in regards to our reputation.
One of the greater challenges that I have to face as a self employed freelance writer is the fact that I am my own boss. Which means that if I procrastinate on facebook, I am the one who has to scold me. And I am doing it, but it feels quite schizophrenic. It goes a bit like this:
me-boss: You should be researching about the best healing herbs for this article.
me-me: But look at this status update of my high school classmate! She had twins! I wonder how her husband looks... Let me stalk a bit!
me-boss: But you have not seen or talked to her for 10 years.
me-me:Still more interesting than the article.
me-boss: You shall not get payed then.
me-me: Ok, give me 10 more minutes!
...........after 10 minutes..........
me-boss: I guess you started your research?
me-me:....
me-boss: Oh my God! How did you end up on tumblr for Christ sake ?! Is that how you plan to make a living as an independent woman?
me-me: Ok, ok, I am starting...
............after 5 seconds..............
me-me: I am hungry. Me need pasta.
me-boss: No!
me-me: Me need fuel!
You get the point. And on top of that I feel guilty because I disappoint myself. I would not mind procrastination that much, if I was doing something that helped me become a better or happier person while procrastinating. If I read a book, for example. Or if I went for a walk. Or did some yoga, to correct my terrible slouchy posture. But no. All my procrastination goes to the internet. I guess that if I did read a book or did yoga, it would be called a proper brake and not procrastination anyway.
The terrible thing about procrastination is that everyone seems to be doing it. And by "everyone" I mean all freelancers. There is a rumor that this is why we work until the first morning hours (because we started actual work after hitting the panic button at around 9 p.m.). This means that you can find tons of people online to relate to. Which leads to procrastinating by reading articles about procrastination. Sad, isn't it?
Biking
In an attempt to brake this vicious cycle of late night work and all-day-long procrastination, mixed with a few hours of torture-work, I decided to set the alarm clock early today and go for a bike ride. Until yesterday, we had not bothered to find my partner's bike keys after the moving, so he used mine. But yesterday we did the brave move of looking through boxes and baskets and now my bike is mine again.
So today I woke up, had a shower, ate a clementine and a banana, wore green pants and my green coat and a super old blouse with the little price on it and looking like a 5 year-old tree, I rode my bike.
I went to Delfte Hout, a great area with lakes and a camping site just outside Delft. That is how it looks like:
I love this place. Since it was a weekday and I went during working hours, it was really quiet with just a few more bikers and a bunch of vibrant old ladies who walked briskly and chatted. I felt amazing. I was listening to Belle and Sebastian and was trying my balance, stirring the bike with one hand each time. Taking into consideration that I have not biked since I was 8 or 9 and I re-learned this year, I am doing pretty good.
It seems that Spring is slooooowly approaching here as well, since there were already tiny purple and white flowers blooming in several spots. The grass was thick and green and the lake was clear. I could not stop thinking that if I were at home I would be scrolling down status updates of people I do not even like or I would be reading stupid lifestyle articles or about yet one more nail on the coffin of Greek democracy. I felt so angry with myself that it took me that long to brake this circle. But I also felt great that I did, in the end.
Delftse Hout is the place where we are planning to do our wedding reception as well. We have yet to confirm the date and see if the two restaurants there can accommodate our needs. It takes some planning, but it is totally worth it. I am a Summer child and so is my partner and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate our love in nature, under the sun. Of course, the unpredictable Dutch weather is a risk that we will have to take, but what can you do? I am really hoping for good weather, so that we will be able to also swim (even though I am not sure that swimming after alcohol consumption is a good idea. In fact, now that I am writing it, it is a tremendously stupid idea. Sunbathing is still ok though.)
Delfte Hout also has great wooden cabins in its camping facilities and I was thinking that it would be great fun to stay there the night after the wedding. My brother already thinks we are two hippie, vegan freaks, so there is not much at stake in regards to our reputation.
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