I feel like I'm one of the worst procrastinators in the world. Today I spent an hour doing some focused, concentrated work with zero problems, but then I had to reply to a "difficult" email that I've been putting off. The instant I opened my mail client I felt overwhelmed and started procrastinating. What would you recommend I do in this situation?
What helped me overcome the dreadful empty mail window was using a brainstorming / editing approach:
1. Using a different editor to write the draft, to prevent the immediate negative reaction to the mail client.
2. Brainstorming my draft. That is, I wrote down the first thing that came to mind, no matter how ridiculous or nonsensical. It doesn't even have to be related to the message at hand. It only needs to remove the daunting empty page and get my brain into "write something" mode.
3. Edit and repeat. Read what you've written and select anything that actually makes sense. Use that as a starting point and start again.
I think an important aspect of this is to freely allow my brain to write silly things. It's not a fun task to write serious emails, but writing a silly outline and filling it in with more serious wording makes it possible, for me at least.
1. Take it gradually. Perhaps first jot down some thoughts in a notes app or on paper. Also, think about your reply in terms of drafts - you don't have to send the 1st draft anywhere. Write the 1st draft down somewhere just to get the main ideas out of your head, and then perhaps do a round or 2 of revision. But the 1st draft is just for you, to clarify your thoughts.
2. Take a walk to figure out what you want to say. 20 min walk in nature (or a park) boosts concentration, and helps you figure out what you want to say. A walk before a difficult task clarifies your thinking, so that when you sit down, you know what to do or say.
