Resistance is Futile
Or how I threw away my to-do list to beat procrastination
The biggest issue I struggle with daily as a Passion Weaver is having a list of things I should do, and a conflicting list of things I want to do. There is such tension between the two that I often end up procrastinating and doing a third thing which isn’t on any list.
Recently, this resistance has become so bad that I realised it was actually the list that was the problem, not what was on it.
In search of answers, I read The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield. His solution is to set a timer and just show up. It doesn’t matter if what you end up writing during that time is terrible, all that matters is you show up and do the work.
I love this idea. It takes all the pressure off what you should be doing and just gives you the space to do it. So far it’s kinda working. I’m still trying to break up my day into intentional chunks, but I’m giving myself the freedom to decide which tasks get done in the 90 minute blocks.
I’ve discovered I value autonomy so much that I will resist being told what to do like a stubborn mule, even if it is me who is doing the telling!
So the “show up and write” thing is starting to make sense. I like the structure of timed blocks and I never plan what I am going to do. This means I still have a degree of autonomy over my time.
These daily passion weaving ramblings are a result of the “show up and write” principle. I never know what I am going to write about when I sit down and do it. I have set the intention to publish 360 words for 360 days around the topic of passion weaving. I don’t plan any further than that. I quite enjoy the feeling of not knowing what I am going to write. I just show up every day and do it.
Are your to-do lists killing your vibe?
Why not try making a commitment to just showing up? Throw out the micro-managed to-do list for a week and just show up ready to work. Start at a particular time each day and set the timer for 90 minutes to start with. Turn off all distractions and see what happens.
Dominique Falla
