Joanne the Coach

Telling Us Things We Already Know

There was a very positive feature about coaching in The Times this week.  You can read it here.  Whilst it's great for the profession to enjoy such positive publicity, I was kind of surprised that coaching was being written about as if it was some amazing new thing, just arrived to save the planet.  It's been around for years, and has been written about many times before - check this out from The Guardian in 2001.

The article also included a version of the 'Clean Sweep' quiz, which is widely used by many coaches. In this case they've labelled it a method to assess your Work/Life Balance, though I do think that if you need to do a quiz about such things, then you probably already know that your WLB ain't so hot. 

But if you're into quizzes, give this one a go well.  It's a Test Your Procrastination Level quiz.  Again, it probably won't tell you anything you don't already know, but sometimes we do need a bit of a poke to point out the truth.

Procrastinating Freelancers - Your Days Are Numbered

I've mentioned before that I don't think the odd spot of procrastination is all that bad, provided you get your work done when it needs to be done.  Well, apparently there's a name for people like me - we're Positive Procrastinators. 

According to AnnA Rushton's new ebook, PPs need to take a reality check, because trusting it will all turn out fine in the end is no substitute for actually doing something about the situation.  Oh dear.  I knew it seemed a bit too good to be true.

Within half an hour of finishing this book today I had tidied up my office (a job which had languished on the 'to do' list for so long it was gathering dust.  As indeed was the office).  Had also made two phone calls I was putting off and chucked out two bin bags of clutter.  Wow.  How's that for a result?

And what, you may be wondering, is an ebook?  Basically, it's a book which can be delivered electronically.  The file pings into your in-box as soon as you order it.  So no trudging out in the cold to Borders, or waiting to see if the postie can fit that Amazon parcel through your letterbox.

What I like most about this book are the practical exercises.  There's lots of self-examination via filling out lists and other written exercises.  The fact that it's an ebook means that you can read it onscreen and write out your answers at the same time.  Not as leisurely as curling up with a paperback, granted, but then the whole point of this book is to get you taking action, so it fits. 

So many people read personal development books, but only get half the benefit because they don't do the practical stuff.  That's not really an option with this book.  And there was quite a spooky moment when Rushton wrote about procrastinators slumping down in their chairs, just as I was (you guessed it) slumped down in my chair.  Sat up straight, quick smart, after that.

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Procrastination - How To Stop It Right Now by AnnA Rushton is available here.

Never Put Off Till Tomorrow What You Can Faff About With Today

AnnA Rushton recently sent me a copy of her new ebook on procrastination, and I intended to write about it today.

However, due to some email faffing, a cupboard which positively needed sorting out, some essential vocabulary rice donation and...er...well I guess maybe a smidgeon of procrastination, I didn't get through all of the book in time.  Oh dear.  I suppose it means I'm well placed to review it.

More on procrastination tomorrow (if the dog doesn't eat my homework first).

Useful Links for Freelance Writers (yes I know this is a boring headline, but that's how the searchy spidery thingies like it and who am I to argue?)

As I have explained before, most coaches aren't in the business of giving specific advice.  But what we can do is let clients know about resources which might be useful to them.  These are some of the resources my freelance journalist clients have found most useful:

This book , this website and this article will help you get going as a freelance writer.

This page will give you an idea of the current rates being paid for a variety of media work.  Very helpful when negotiating with a new client.  This podcast will help you raise your rates, when said client tries to get away with paying you a pittance (BTW there's a small charge for this recording, but it's worth it, I promise).

This site and this service will help you find experts to interview.

This site will become your new friend as you morph into next evolution of freelancer:  The Procrastinating Writer.  Not to be confused with:  The Procrastinating Writer Who Feels Guilty About It, The Procrastinating Writer In Denial (claims to be very busy then wonders why they never get anything done) and The Displacement Activity Procrastinating Writer (does little writing but has a very clean kitchen floor).  Some people strive for years to get to those stages.

This site's forum and this group will give you virtual colleagues to gas to when you tire of working alone.  Procrastinating en masse is so much more fun.

This company will sort you out with a solicitor's letter when a client tries to stiff you on payment (every freelancer meets a reluctant payer at some point in their career.  Like procrastinating, it's another sign that you've arrived).

Procrastination for Freelancers - is it really so bad?

So I nearly signed up for a time management course but didn't get round to it.

I sometimes think that procrastination isn't as bad as it's cracked up to be. It may even be a neccessary part of how you work.

We all have a dance we do when it comes to work. Some people are super-organised and have everything done and dusted the day before the deadline. Others run right up to the wire but still get everything done just in time.

If you are ultimately getting things done, even if you put them off, then maybe a tendency to procrastinate isn't too bad after all. Your subconscious mind will still be churning during this time, which is why we need to move our focus away from tasks in order to come back to them with fresh perspective. If you do 'mind work' of some sort (writing/performing/anything creative) you will know how much your mind is like an iceberg, and what's visible is only part of the story.  The real power lies in the stuff under the surface.

The trick is to look out for the procrastination devices which fuel you rather than drain you. This is because it's all about the energy not the time.

You may love chatting to friends online - it's good fun and stops you feeling disconnected if you work from home. That's the sign of a positive procrastination device - there are benefits and it's not just about wasting time.

Worry is the most shocking energy-drainer. If you can let go of worry and let it float away like a helium balloon, you will feel infinitely lighter for it.