Procrastination is your enemy. I'm not only talking about putting off creating art but all the other things that go with creating an artistic life.
Back up your photos and docs and downloads on a regular basis. Last week my laptop crashed and my hard drive died - I've taken it to the computer shop and the technician says that nothing can be retrieved from it. I'm very mad and sad with myself. I knew we were going to replace my laptop and had been meaning to back up everything but just put it off and put it off and now there are some photo I cannot replace such as the evolution pics of my paintings, my husband's African motorbike trip - I have a lot of pics sitting in picnic.com that I can download before it closes and in Picasa - many thanks to keeping a blog and my deviant art site has all art on it.
Another example of my procrastination is my car broke down at the traffic lights in the middle of the highway on Monday and I couldn't get it started. Two gentlemen helped move it to the curb and got it going so I drove it straight to the repair shop and it's now fixed. I've had trouble starting my car for about a month and thought it was the battery and I'll have it checked when I get it serviced which will have to be in a couple of months since I have to take my son to the train station each day and I couldn't possibly make him go to Uni early so I'll leave it till April.....yeah, all the excuses in the world until my car decided it had had enough and my son had to walk to the train station and missed his lecture.
Another example is my Etsy shop. What Etsy shop is that??? You don't have an Etsy shop??? No, to have an Etsy shop you need something to put in it and a paypal account and probably I'll need a separate bank account and maybe an ABN (Australian Business Number), and it's all too hard...
Aargh...I'm such a procrastinator - I could give you more examples such as appointments for doctors, hairdressers and beautician, doing our personal accounts....
Why are some people procrastinators?? Well, I'm no psychologist and I don't have time to look it up - oh that's another procrastinator excuse...hang on.... here's a link... http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200308/procrastination-ten-things-know but I know for me I'd rather be doing XYandZ rather than doing what I'm putting off, depression, fear of failure...let's see what other excuses I can come up with.
So, go back up your computer...it's one thing you won't regret doing and do it regularly - each week/month....
Here are some pics of my latest girls - I'm slowly working out my new computer - my Darling Husband bought me a Mac but it's like driving in a foreign country on the wrong side of the road - familiar yet unfamiliar...
Nice Girl - work in progress - I've glued some tissue paper to build up some texture for the dove in her hands - still deciding on whether she'll be holding it in a nest...
Mean Girl - work in progress - I really like the colour of her dress but her arms are wrong and the back ground colour is wrong and needs re-working with white writing, more sewing patterns and a different colour...
And the two together...
I have to go to work but I do really hope you learn from my heartache and stop putting off backing up your computer - go do it now.
Have a great day/evening.
I am so glad you are back to posting on your blog - I always love what you have to say and how you say it! I am sad for you about your computer and car trouble. I am a procrastinator, too, but am finally making myself do something toward by goals. I struggle with the "all or nothing" kind of thinking and that just has to go. Thanks for this wonderful reminder to just get on with it! xo
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle
ReplyDeleteI dont think you should be so hard on yourself - we are all procrastinators to a certain degree! ( Case in point I am on the computer instead of culling in my daughters room!!!) You need to look back and see everything you have achieved over the last 12 months and also how many paintings you are producing which is so time consuming!I encourage you, and i suppose myself, to make a list and move on. You are going so well just keep going :-)
Ruth-Mary
That's such a shame you lost your progress pics. I put mine on Flickr and a thumb drive, mostly so my camera stays empty. An external drive is good too and you can store loads on them and they are immune from crashes.
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your computer. I can't locate an email address for you so am posting a Christine Kane publication link here as I think you'll enjoy it considering the topic. It is one of my favourites!
http://christinekane.com/9-simple-solutions-for-procrastinators/
Thanks for that link Debbi. :D
DeleteI like your girls! But boo to your computer. My backup drive crashed when my dog stepped on it, so while I had faithfully backed up, I didn't back up the backup! You can drive yourself crazy with this stuff...I know I do!
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle, you'll have to watch the mini series, "The Worst Week of My LIfe", the English version (the American version isn't as funny) and then you'll feel much, much better about your bad week and laugh a lot.
ReplyDeleteI'm a fellow procrastinator who's been trying since early last year to have a webpage, an Etsy shop etc. YOU inspired me to get my page up and running. I have a blog-thingy-webpage because of your wonderful artwork, website, blog and encouragement to get going.
Procrastinators are the best artists! It's a good thing, it means that you're a thinker and make considered decisions :-)
I am a Mac gal! Macs are for creative souls, so I'm sure that you'll bond very soon with your new laptop.