Let's talk motivation

[Morticia]

Thanks all. We went out today and sat down away from the inn. No phones, no distractions and we got the basic layout of the rack card laid out on paper. No I need to edit it down to manageable bites. We had a trifold before and it's like moving from a 6000 sq ft house to a 2000 sq ft house! Edit, edit, edit!
Rewards don't work for me. Never have. I'm not that kind of personality. I've tried, tho. 'Just do that one project and then you can have this.' The other side of the brain says, 'I think I'll have this first and then work on that one project.'
I'm good with lists. I like lists. I like crossing stuff off.
I've read the articles on how the internet is causing brains to start working in short bursts with no staying power. My problem is I have always been like that and now I have something that feeds that attention disorder! It used to be reading. Or watching TV. Or talking on the phone. Anything to not do whatever the boring thing was.
And it's not just boring stuff. It's stuff I don't know how to do. I don't know where to start so I wander off to do something else. Like right now...Cash Cab is on...gotta go....

ROFLMAO (OK more like a quiet titter).... I'm stripping and redoing the beds NOW because cash cab is on and I can watch while I "work" .... gotta go ....
.

ROFLMAO (OK more like a quiet titter).... I'm stripping and redoing the beds NOW because cash cab is on and I can watch while I "work" .... gotta go ....

You and I would rock on Cash Cab!
.

OK, I will be the opne to ask - What is Cash Cab other than a TV show....
.

OK, I will be the opne to ask - What is Cash Cab other than a TV show....

It is exactly what it sounds like...a cab in which you win cash. It takes place in NYC. The taxi picks up regular fares but they get to win money on their way to their destination. Like Jeopardy in a taxi. If you get 3 wrong he pulls over and lets you out wherever you are. Or, like Weakest Link, you get shout outs via phone or he pulls over and you can ask random strangers for help with the questions.
It's fun to watch because of the end...if you've won money he offers it to you OR, you can go double or nothing on one last question. It's fun to watch people decide.
If there are 2 or more people in the cab it's better, they're all yelling out the answers. And some of them are really into it and come up with all the explanations and everything.
I've only seen once where these 3 guys got in, he told them what the deal was and they got right back out again.

 

[Morticia]

Thanks all. We went out today and sat down away from the inn. No phones, no distractions and we got the basic layout of the rack card laid out on paper. No I need to edit it down to manageable bites. We had a trifold before and it's like moving from a 6000 sq ft house to a 2000 sq ft house! Edit, edit, edit!
Rewards don't work for me. Never have. I'm not that kind of personality. I've tried, tho. 'Just do that one project and then you can have this.' The other side of the brain says, 'I think I'll have this first and then work on that one project.'
I'm good with lists. I like lists. I like crossing stuff off.
I've read the articles on how the internet is causing brains to start working in short bursts with no staying power. My problem is I have always been like that and now I have something that feeds that attention disorder! It used to be reading. Or watching TV. Or talking on the phone. Anything to not do whatever the boring thing was.
And it's not just boring stuff. It's stuff I don't know how to do. I don't know where to start so I wander off to do something else. Like right now...Cash Cab is on...gotta go....

ROFLMAO (OK more like a quiet titter).... I'm stripping and redoing the beds NOW because cash cab is on and I can watch while I "work" .... gotta go ....
.

ROFLMAO (OK more like a quiet titter).... I'm stripping and redoing the beds NOW because cash cab is on and I can watch while I "work" .... gotta go ....

You and I would rock on Cash Cab!
.

OK, I will be the opne to ask - What is Cash Cab other than a TV show....
.

OK, I will be the opne to ask - What is Cash Cab other than a TV show....

Glad I'm not the only one to have absolutely no idea what that's about.
.

Some days I do really well and other times I'd be walking!

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

Thanks all. We went out today and sat down away from the inn. No phones, no distractions and we got the basic layout of the rack card laid out on paper. No I need to edit it down to manageable bites. We had a trifold before and it's like moving from a 6000 sq ft house to a 2000 sq ft house! Edit, edit, edit!
Rewards don't work for me. Never have. I'm not that kind of personality. I've tried, tho. 'Just do that one project and then you can have this.' The other side of the brain says, 'I think I'll have this first and then work on that one project.'
I'm good with lists. I like lists. I like crossing stuff off.
I've read the articles on how the internet is causing brains to start working in short bursts with no staying power. My problem is I have always been like that and now I have something that feeds that attention disorder! It used to be reading. Or watching TV. Or talking on the phone. Anything to not do whatever the boring thing was.
And it's not just boring stuff. It's stuff I don't know how to do. I don't know where to start so I wander off to do something else. Like right now...Cash Cab is on...gotta go....

ROFLMAO (OK more like a quiet titter).... I'm stripping and redoing the beds NOW because cash cab is on and I can watch while I "work" .... gotta go ....
.

ROFLMAO (OK more like a quiet titter).... I'm stripping and redoing the beds NOW because cash cab is on and I can watch while I "work" .... gotta go ....

You and I would rock on Cash Cab!
.

OK, I will be the opne to ask - What is Cash Cab other than a TV show....
.

OK, I will be the opne to ask - What is Cash Cab other than a TV show....

It is exactly what it sounds like...a cab in which you win cash. It takes place in NYC. The taxi picks up regular fares but they get to win money on their way to their destination. Like Jeopardy in a taxi. If you get 3 wrong he pulls over and lets you out wherever you are. Or, like Weakest Link, you get shout outs via phone or he pulls over and you can ask random strangers for help with the questions.
It's fun to watch because of the end...if you've won money he offers it to you OR, you can go double or nothing on one last question. It's fun to watch people decide.
If there are 2 or more people in the cab it's better, they're all yelling out the answers. And some of them are really into it and come up with all the explanations and everything.
I've only seen once where these 3 guys got in, he told them what the deal was and they got right back out again.
.

OK, I will be the opne to ask - What is Cash Cab other than a TV show....

It is exactly what it sounds like...a cab in which you win cash. It takes place in NYC. The taxi picks up regular fares but they get to win money on their way to their destination. Like Jeopardy in a taxi. If you get 3 wrong he pulls over and lets you out wherever you are. Or, like Weakest Link, you get shout outs via phone or he pulls over and you can ask random strangers for help with the questions.
It's fun to watch because of the end...if you've won money he offers it to you OR, you can go double or nothing on one last question. It's fun to watch people decide.
If there are 2 or more people in the cab it's better, they're all yelling out the answers. And some of them are really into it and come up with all the explanations and everything.
I've only seen once where these 3 guys got in, he told them what the deal was and they got right back out again.

Okay, that sounds totally fun. I'm going to see if we get that out here.

 

[Morticia]

Thanks all. We went out today and sat down away from the inn. No phones, no distractions and we got the basic layout of the rack card laid out on paper. No I need to edit it down to manageable bites. We had a trifold before and it's like moving from a 6000 sq ft house to a 2000 sq ft house! Edit, edit, edit!
Rewards don't work for me. Never have. I'm not that kind of personality. I've tried, tho. 'Just do that one project and then you can have this.' The other side of the brain says, 'I think I'll have this first and then work on that one project.'
I'm good with lists. I like lists. I like crossing stuff off.
I've read the articles on how the internet is causing brains to start working in short bursts with no staying power. My problem is I have always been like that and now I have something that feeds that attention disorder! It used to be reading. Or watching TV. Or talking on the phone. Anything to not do whatever the boring thing was.
And it's not just boring stuff. It's stuff I don't know how to do. I don't know where to start so I wander off to do something else. Like right now...Cash Cab is on...gotta go....

ROFLMAO (OK more like a quiet titter).... I'm stripping and redoing the beds NOW because cash cab is on and I can watch while I "work" .... gotta go ....
.

ROFLMAO (OK more like a quiet titter).... I'm stripping and redoing the beds NOW because cash cab is on and I can watch while I "work" .... gotta go ....

You and I would rock on Cash Cab!
.

OK, I will be the opne to ask - What is Cash Cab other than a TV show....
.

OK, I will be the opne to ask - What is Cash Cab other than a TV show....

It is exactly what it sounds like...a cab in which you win cash. It takes place in NYC. The taxi picks up regular fares but they get to win money on their way to their destination. Like Jeopardy in a taxi. If you get 3 wrong he pulls over and lets you out wherever you are. Or, like Weakest Link, you get shout outs via phone or he pulls over and you can ask random strangers for help with the questions.
It's fun to watch because of the end...if you've won money he offers it to you OR, you can go double or nothing on one last question. It's fun to watch people decide.
If there are 2 or more people in the cab it's better, they're all yelling out the answers. And some of them are really into it and come up with all the explanations and everything.
I've only seen once where these 3 guys got in, he told them what the deal was and they got right back out again.
.

OK, I will be the opne to ask - What is Cash Cab other than a TV show....

It is exactly what it sounds like...a cab in which you win cash. It takes place in NYC. The taxi picks up regular fares but they get to win money on their way to their destination. Like Jeopardy in a taxi. If you get 3 wrong he pulls over and lets you out wherever you are. Or, like Weakest Link, you get shout outs via phone or he pulls over and you can ask random strangers for help with the questions.
It's fun to watch because of the end...if you've won money he offers it to you OR, you can go double or nothing on one last question. It's fun to watch people decide.
If there are 2 or more people in the cab it's better, they're all yelling out the answers. And some of them are really into it and come up with all the explanations and everything.
I've only seen once where these 3 guys got in, he told them what the deal was and they got right back out again.

Okay, that sounds totally fun. I'm going to see if we get that out here.
.

It's on Discover.

 

[user 26]

a timer.
an old fashioned, minute timer ... i have one that goes up in minutes or hours.
i pick a task and tell myself i will work on that task until the timer goes off. usually it's 1/2 hour or an hour. could be more depending on the project. i put the timer right in my pocket so i can't run away from it. if i'm seriously interrupted, i pause the timer and start it again ... and when the timer goes off, i can stop ... but i usually reset it for some more time because i've gotten into the project. unless, of course, i'm done!
very very high tech ... i know.

 

[ukmaineiac]

Thanks all. We went out today and sat down away from the inn. No phones, no distractions and we got the basic layout of the rack card laid out on paper. No I need to edit it down to manageable bites. We had a trifold before and it's like moving from a 6000 sq ft house to a 2000 sq ft house! Edit, edit, edit!
Rewards don't work for me. Never have. I'm not that kind of personality. I've tried, tho. 'Just do that one project and then you can have this.' The other side of the brain says, 'I think I'll have this first and then work on that one project.'
I'm good with lists. I like lists. I like crossing stuff off.
I've read the articles on how the internet is causing brains to start working in short bursts with no staying power. My problem is I have always been like that and now I have something that feeds that attention disorder! It used to be reading. Or watching TV. Or talking on the phone. Anything to not do whatever the boring thing was.
And it's not just boring stuff. It's stuff I don't know how to do. I don't know where to start so I wander off to do something else. Like right now...Cash Cab is on...gotta go....

ROFLMAO (OK more like a quiet titter).... I'm stripping and redoing the beds NOW because cash cab is on and I can watch while I "work" .... gotta go ....
.

ROFLMAO (OK more like a quiet titter).... I'm stripping and redoing the beds NOW because cash cab is on and I can watch while I "work" .... gotta go ....

You and I would rock on Cash Cab!
.

OK, I will be the opne to ask - What is Cash Cab other than a TV show....
.

OK, I will be the opne to ask - What is Cash Cab other than a TV show....

It is exactly what it sounds like...a cab in which you win cash. It takes place in NYC. The taxi picks up regular fares but they get to win money on their way to their destination. Like Jeopardy in a taxi. If you get 3 wrong he pulls over and lets you out wherever you are. Or, like Weakest Link, you get shout outs via phone or he pulls over and you can ask random strangers for help with the questions.
It's fun to watch because of the end...if you've won money he offers it to you OR, you can go double or nothing on one last question. It's fun to watch people decide.
If there are 2 or more people in the cab it's better, they're all yelling out the answers. And some of them are really into it and come up with all the explanations and everything.
I've only seen once where these 3 guys got in, he told them what the deal was and they got right back out again.
.

OK, I will be the opne to ask - What is Cash Cab other than a TV show....

It is exactly what it sounds like...a cab in which you win cash. It takes place in NYC. The taxi picks up regular fares but they get to win money on their way to their destination. Like Jeopardy in a taxi. If you get 3 wrong he pulls over and lets you out wherever you are. Or, like Weakest Link, you get shout outs via phone or he pulls over and you can ask random strangers for help with the questions.
It's fun to watch because of the end...if you've won money he offers it to you OR, you can go double or nothing on one last question. It's fun to watch people decide.
If there are 2 or more people in the cab it's better, they're all yelling out the answers. And some of them are really into it and come up with all the explanations and everything.
I've only seen once where these 3 guys got in, he told them what the deal was and they got right back out again.

Okay, that sounds totally fun. I'm going to see if we get that out here.
.

It's on Discover.
.

For me it's like playing Trivial Pursuit by yourself. I LOVE TP but for DH it's torture.

 

[Samster]

HaHaHa - mine is my DH always lighting the match on my

to finish.
Just turned the match on him last week and he finally (with my help of course) retiled 3 guest room floors. We had the ceramic tile for 2-3 years waiting on the motivation to do them when we were slow. Oh, and they look beautiful!!!
Now I must light the match and make my mayhaw jelly... my motivation being that I am on my last jar now and my repeat guests next week have 'demanded' it!.

Sidetrack...I LOVE Mayhaw Jelly. Had it for the first time when I moved here even though both sides of my family are Southern!
.

Sidetrack...I LOVE Mayhaw Jelly. Had it for the first time when I moved here even though both sides of my family are Southern!

I will try to remember that as it looks like we may be headed your way in the near future (so if my menory holds I will bring you some). My neice (that lives in town near you) just got engaged and wedding plans are being made!
.

That would be great! You're welcome anytime...we still have guest rooms!

 

[Samster]

I'm trying a new tactic for this with rewards like ITG suggests when I get a small project done. Small things, nothing big. I'm on a health kick so chocolate and wine are out. I'm using stuff like a new pair of Summer sandals (check out SwitchFlops, btw), earrings, pedicure, etc. Treats just for ME!
My biggest hurdle was to give up trying to motivate OTHERS. I found that I got really discouraged and depressed when I wasn't getting help with projects. I just gave up! So, now I'm just tackling just what I can with lists similar to UK Maineac. Short term easy projects and then major things. Smaller projects are re-organizing closets, painting our bathroom, organizing the rest of the B&B stuff, etc. Some of the major things include more insulation in our big attic, enlarging our outdoor living area by screening our side porch and adding a deck,...stuff like that...which will require hiring people and dinero.
Shutting down the computer is the easiest way to get things done on a daily basis. .

I'm on a health kick so chocolate and wine are out.

What? I thought Chocolate and wine were essential food groups. I've got to get a new food pyramid one of these days.
.

 

[Samster]

I'm trying a new tactic for this with rewards like ITG suggests when I get a small project done. Small things, nothing big. I'm on a health kick so chocolate and wine are out. I'm using stuff like a new pair of Summer sandals (check out SwitchFlops, btw), earrings, pedicure, etc. Treats just for ME!
My biggest hurdle was to give up trying to motivate OTHERS. I found that I got really discouraged and depressed when I wasn't getting help with projects. I just gave up! So, now I'm just tackling just what I can with lists similar to UK Maineac. Short term easy projects and then major things. Smaller projects are re-organizing closets, painting our bathroom, organizing the rest of the B&B stuff, etc. Some of the major things include more insulation in our big attic, enlarging our outdoor living area by screening our side porch and adding a deck,...stuff like that...which will require hiring people and dinero.
Shutting down the computer is the easiest way to get things done on a daily basis. .

Oh you over achiever you

.... seriously, I'm impressed. What is on your "small list" ie painting a bathroom, I would have on my "big list". My small list is those things that get by-passed when you're busy because they're not essential, but they add up and up and up ... doing a couple a day ... and INSISTING on one day means they don't get out of hand.
.

I have a bit more time than you these days since we closed the biz.

A bathroom I can get done in a day....de-crapifying will take a millenium.

 

[Eleanor Brown]

a timer.
an old fashioned, minute timer ... i have one that goes up in minutes or hours.
i pick a task and tell myself i will work on that task until the timer goes off. usually it's 1/2 hour or an hour. could be more depending on the project. i put the timer right in my pocket so i can't run away from it. if i'm seriously interrupted, i pause the timer and start it again ... and when the timer goes off, i can stop ... but i usually reset it for some more time because i've gotten into the project. unless, of course, i'm done!
very very high tech ... i know..

Weird - came across this blog post right after reading this...
http://pageslap.wordpress.com/2010/06/16/productivity-minuteur/

 

[wendydk]

My OCD used to really be a burden, but it lessens as I grow older (or maybe just happier), and now it's just bad enough to be helpful. Do ANYTHING before getting all of this done???...no can do!

 

[user 26]

a timer.
an old fashioned, minute timer ... i have one that goes up in minutes or hours.
i pick a task and tell myself i will work on that task until the timer goes off. usually it's 1/2 hour or an hour. could be more depending on the project. i put the timer right in my pocket so i can't run away from it. if i'm seriously interrupted, i pause the timer and start it again ... and when the timer goes off, i can stop ... but i usually reset it for some more time because i've gotten into the project. unless, of course, i'm done!
very very high tech ... i know..

Weird - came across this blog post right after reading this...
http://pageslap.wordpress.com/2010/06/16/productivity-minuteur/
.

Weird - came across this blog post right after reading this...
http://pageslap.wordpress.com/2010/06/16/productivity-minuteur/

haha! good to know i'm not the only one who uses a timer!!

 

[wendydk]

a timer.
an old fashioned, minute timer ... i have one that goes up in minutes or hours.
i pick a task and tell myself i will work on that task until the timer goes off. usually it's 1/2 hour or an hour. could be more depending on the project. i put the timer right in my pocket so i can't run away from it. if i'm seriously interrupted, i pause the timer and start it again ... and when the timer goes off, i can stop ... but i usually reset it for some more time because i've gotten into the project. unless, of course, i'm done!
very very high tech ... i know..

Weird - came across this blog post right after reading this...
http://pageslap.wordpress.com/2010/06/16/productivity-minuteur/
.

Weird - came across this blog post right after reading this...
http://pageslap.wordpress.com/2010/06/16/productivity-minuteur/

haha! good to know i'm not the only one who uses a timer!!
.

Weird - came across this blog post right after reading this...
http://pageslap.wordpress.com/2010/06/16/productivity-minuteur/

haha! good to know i'm not the only one who uses a timer!!

I use the timer on my microwave to keep the laundry moving or as a reminder to move the sprinklers...sometimes have two going at once and when one goes off, I forget what it was for.

 

[JBloggs]

I have never watered our lawn, here.
I love to share this with people. Ahhh you used to live in the NW, it rains all the time. Actually we get MORE rain here, but we get it all at once, then it is done. Winter is blue skies.
I should go take a photo right now (there are no inground irrigation systems here even for sale at Home Depot!) In Seattle we had water rationing in the summer month. You were fined if you watered your lawn on the OFF day, only three days per week was allowed, and we had a full inground system on timers, etc. Yes, in Seattle.

 

[Proud Texan]

I found the reason I put little projects (or big ones) off is because I let them accumulate until I'm overwhelmed. Now, DW makes up a list of MY projects for me. I try to do at least one thing on that list every single day. Usually something I had been dreading turns out to be fun or takes little or no time to accomplish.
It really works. What's the saying? "Pick your battles"

 

[birdwatcher]

My problem is "getting started"...sometimes I delay and delay, but once I get started on any task I just want to finish it at all costs, that gets me into trouble when there is NO WAY to finish a project in one day...\unless of course I stay up all night...ha ha.Hubbie of course has ADD-he goes from one thing to another and then either back to the first or not finish any of them--THIS DRIVES ME CRAZY! He is a procrastinator and I do have to lightning his

to finish one or go back to finish the other...crazy

 

[YellowSocks]

What's your one best tip?

OK, before I give you my "best tip" I have to admit that I still don't have my room notebooks done... and I've been fully open for two years now! Some day...
I like lists. I have the massive list of all projects that need done, big or small. Then I have the list of what needs done before I leave on vacation. And I have the list of things for today (flip this room, fluff that one, call so and so). And a shopping list.
My only real tip is to create deadlines. I told my state tourism group I'd send them 4000 rack cards within a couple of weeks. It got done, and the reprint is in the works. I invite relatives that I know will be in my personal space... the family room gets picked up. I hire someone to do something... all the prep work has to be done by his arrival. I send my "accountabilibuddy" a list of marketing goals and tentative time frame, and she actually asks me how they're going.
And oh yeah, no Scrabble on Facebook until my rooms are done... well, most of the time...
=)
Kk.

 

[Emily Spiers]

I went to a social media marketing seminar last year. He had each of us partner up with someone else from the seminar as, what he called, an "account-a-bil-a-buddy".
I am the "buddy" of a couple of people and they of me. A list was exchanged and every so often, I contact these couple of people and ask how so-and-so on the list is coming along. Have they made progress? What are they working on? Anything new to add to the list? Struggles. Complaints. I can tell you that it's worked for me, being the one who is accountable to someone, and as the one who is helping someone else be accountable.
I have enjoyed being the one to contact them and ask how they are doing. Yes, it is something else to add to the list, but the mental accountability of it is worth a great deal.

 

[ukmaineiac]

What's your one best tip?

OK, before I give you my "best tip" I have to admit that I still don't have my room notebooks done... and I've been fully open for two years now! Some day...
I like lists. I have the massive list of all projects that need done, big or small. Then I have the list of what needs done before I leave on vacation. And I have the list of things for today (flip this room, fluff that one, call so and so). And a shopping list.
My only real tip is to create deadlines. I told my state tourism group I'd send them 4000 rack cards within a couple of weeks. It got done, and the reprint is in the works. I invite relatives that I know will be in my personal space... the family room gets picked up. I hire someone to do something... all the prep work has to be done by his arrival. I send my "accountabilibuddy" a list of marketing goals and tentative time frame, and she actually asks me how they're going.
And oh yeah, no Scrabble on Facebook until my rooms are done... well, most of the time...
=)
Kk..

Here's some motivation ...... your room books will make you feel like a million dollars. They may start slow, but once people start writing so many people will want to leave their mark and when you need that extra push, reading some old entries (or seeing a new one) will bring a smile to your face and a lightness to your step.

 

[YellowSocks]

What's your one best tip?

OK, before I give you my "best tip" I have to admit that I still don't have my room notebooks done... and I've been fully open for two years now! Some day...
I like lists. I have the massive list of all projects that need done, big or small. Then I have the list of what needs done before I leave on vacation. And I have the list of things for today (flip this room, fluff that one, call so and so). And a shopping list.
My only real tip is to create deadlines. I told my state tourism group I'd send them 4000 rack cards within a couple of weeks. It got done, and the reprint is in the works. I invite relatives that I know will be in my personal space... the family room gets picked up. I hire someone to do something... all the prep work has to be done by his arrival. I send my "accountabilibuddy" a list of marketing goals and tentative time frame, and she actually asks me how they're going.
And oh yeah, no Scrabble on Facebook until my rooms are done... well, most of the time...
=)
Kk..

Here's some motivation ...... your room books will make you feel like a million dollars. They may start slow, but once people start writing so many people will want to leave their mark and when you need that extra push, reading some old entries (or seeing a new one) will bring a smile to your face and a lightness to your step.
.

Here's some motivation ...... your room books will make you feel like a million dollars. They may start slow, but once people start writing so many people will want to leave their mark and when you need that extra push, reading some old entries (or seeing a new one) will bring a smile to your face and a lightness to your step.

No, not that kind of room notebooks! We have those already, and yes, it's wonderful to go back and read them when I'm tired and stressed.
I mean the kind of notebooks that have all kinds of useful information, like my name and phone number, and policies and stuff. Although, obviously if I can be in business 3 years without them, they're not critical!
=)
Kk.