Deadliner, extender or overachiever: Which are you?
Come on, you know what I'm talking about. Even as early as junior high we can see the differences in how people study, deal with assignments, get things done. The years of college bring them out most sharply, but they are also a part of the workplace, parenthood and even our leisure activities.
The deadliner: Absolutely needs the deadline or nothing gets done. Procrastinates, goofs off, gets sidetracked, but always comes in under the wire. Marathon training is spotty but is able to finish.
The overachiever: Sets own deadline sooner than the one given, and in fact probably doesn't need one at all. Has a training schedule for the marathon and follows it. Always one step ahead of the teacher, coach or boss. Most annoying.
The extender: Charms way to extra time on assignments. Pulls all-nighter, sleeps in and shows up 40 minutes into the exam but still manages to graduate. Doesn't sign up for no stinkin' marathon; runs for the fun of it.
I've been thinking about these categories because suddenly, after months of idle moments, Facebook cruising and addiction to a certain video game, I have lots and lots of projects going, and it has energized me. I am jumping out of bed at 4 a.m. (with some feline help), tackling the day and doing all sorts of other active-verb things.
Hello. My name is Jody and I am a deadliner/overachiever. I need that deadline hanging over me, but then I will often beat it. I'm not completely self-starting, though. I want an authority figure who isn't me. Or at least someone else who is depending upon me to produce.
I might be tempted to say that this NaNoWriMo* daily word quota is responsible for all my current energy, but I believe there's more at work. In addition to *National Novel Writing Month, I have a book launch party to plan for my novel, Fish-Eye Lens, coming out this month; as her apprentice I'm helping Lorraine Hoff Meade get more mosaics ready for a show in a little over a week; and I've begun volunteering at Ten Thousand Villages, which recently opened one of its fair trade shops in nearby Shockoe Slip. Deadlines, expectations, schedules: Energy begets energy.
I'm sorry. Is this blog annoying you? You might be an extender, my work style opposite. But different doesn't necessarily mean better or worse - I make sure my work gets done soo that I don't have to try to charm my way by. I'm lousy at charm. I'd be interested to hear how it all works for you.
Heck, I'd just be interested to hear about other styles of working. Reading that could help me procrastinate a little bit more....
NaNoWriMo Report: I'm now over 15,000 words and more than 60 pages into it. A big thank-you goes to Kit Carson, my furry alarm clock that doesn't switch to Eastern Standard Time. You can get a lot done when you wake up at 4 a.m.
Come on, you know what I'm talking about. Even as early as junior high we can see the differences in how people study, deal with assignments, get things done. The years of college bring them out most sharply, but they are also a part of the workplace, parenthood and even our leisure activities.
The deadliner: Absolutely needs the deadline or nothing gets done. Procrastinates, goofs off, gets sidetracked, but always comes in under the wire. Marathon training is spotty but is able to finish.
The overachiever: Sets own deadline sooner than the one given, and in fact probably doesn't need one at all. Has a training schedule for the marathon and follows it. Always one step ahead of the teacher, coach or boss. Most annoying.
The extender: Charms way to extra time on assignments. Pulls all-nighter, sleeps in and shows up 40 minutes into the exam but still manages to graduate. Doesn't sign up for no stinkin' marathon; runs for the fun of it.
I've been thinking about these categories because suddenly, after months of idle moments, Facebook cruising and addiction to a certain video game, I have lots and lots of projects going, and it has energized me. I am jumping out of bed at 4 a.m. (with some feline help), tackling the day and doing all sorts of other active-verb things.
Hello. My name is Jody and I am a deadliner/overachiever. I need that deadline hanging over me, but then I will often beat it. I'm not completely self-starting, though. I want an authority figure who isn't me. Or at least someone else who is depending upon me to produce.
I might be tempted to say that this NaNoWriMo* daily word quota is responsible for all my current energy, but I believe there's more at work. In addition to *National Novel Writing Month, I have a book launch party to plan for my novel, Fish-Eye Lens, coming out this month; as her apprentice I'm helping Lorraine Hoff Meade get more mosaics ready for a show in a little over a week; and I've begun volunteering at Ten Thousand Villages, which recently opened one of its fair trade shops in nearby Shockoe Slip. Deadlines, expectations, schedules: Energy begets energy.
I'm sorry. Is this blog annoying you? You might be an extender, my work style opposite. But different doesn't necessarily mean better or worse - I make sure my work gets done soo that I don't have to try to charm my way by. I'm lousy at charm. I'd be interested to hear how it all works for you.
Heck, I'd just be interested to hear about other styles of working. Reading that could help me procrastinate a little bit more....
NaNoWriMo Report: I'm now over 15,000 words and more than 60 pages into it. A big thank-you goes to Kit Carson, my furry alarm clock that doesn't switch to Eastern Standard Time. You can get a lot done when you wake up at 4 a.m.