Go with the Flow

Evocative advice. Unfortunately, my flow would leave me reading a selection chosen by my book group rather than The Secular Revolution: Power, Interests, and Conflict in the Secularization of American Public Life, not a title that rolls off the tongue or one I’d be inclined to choose if I were browsing the library shelves. The 95 page “Introduction” features small font and dense verbiage, which I slog through because the class requires a reflection paper to synthesize the material. Writing an essay provides an opportunity to engage with the reading and academic writing needs bolstering with textual references, which usually means having to read the book.

This term has 13 written requirements ranging from 2-12 pages. Most of the due dates fall in the second half of the semester and mid-term is looming. I’m anticipating the deluge by trying to level out the workload. Act now or pay later.

I try to keep mornings free in order to write, given my energy levels which correlate with my ability to focus. Writing is a task that could easily generate a bout of procrastination, so I set a timer for a relatively short amount of time, like 20-30 minutes. I write and try to minimize simultaneously editing. At the end of a timed session, I reward myself with a coffee break.

Subtraction can lead to addition. If you hear a ding, do you look at your phone? Shut off the ringer lest it elicits a Pavlovian response. Taking away distractions like internet or phone removes temptations, with the benefit of an essay completed and ready to upload.