Get Dressed & Show Up

Yep, I got pants on and even shoes

"It's so easy to fool yourself into thinking that you're working hard.  It's so easy not to write.  So you use any trick you can to make yourself know there's work to be done.  That's why I wear a jacket and tie when I sit down to write."

- Robert Caro

I know, I know, you're not all writers or bloggers, but you can replace the word write in the quote above for
whatever work you need to get done.  For me, that is not necessarily writing posts for my blog but managing my time as a blogger.  Sometimes, I get so caught up in improving sun over eden that I may pass an entire day glued to my seat in front of my laptop.

Last week, I talked about establishing a writing routine.  This week, I realized that I need to set a time limit for blogging so that I don't get obsessive about it and become counterproductive.  If you have the privilege of being a writer, Amy Peters suggests distinguishing between tasks you need to complete throughout the day with clothes.  If you exercise in the morning, don't stay in your workout gear the whole day.  Or worse, never get out of your pajamas just because you work from home.  Shower, groom yourself, and get dressed.  Just thinking about it, I feel like tomorrow is going to be much more productive because I'll be dressed for success.  Okay, I'm not sure about success, but at least I'll feel more like a real life adult by dressing up for work.

Pajamas are restricted to the bed only

By all means though, if you're a pro at managing your life without plans and in the comfort of the loungewear of your choice, please disregard this message.  But, this distinction between my personal life and my work (which is currently this blog) is necessary for me to focus my energies and allot enough time for all my ongoing projects.  I have workaholic tendencies, and I recognize the need to step back to let my ideas marinate and to be able to objectively judge it.

Do you get dressed up to blog?  Or maybe you're dealing with another issue that isn't writing related.  How do you trick yourself into getting work done when man's natural state is atrophy?