Posted by Peg in South Carolina
The crackle samples have been sitting on a little table next to my computer. Yet, much as I sat at the computer, I didn’t see them. Having them there was painful. I knew I needed to deal with them. I did not want to. But I knew I had to.
By the end of Wednesday I had been weaving far far more than my body is used to. And it was beginning to tell me so. But the pain in my body caused a thought to come into me head. It was not a new thought. It had been sitting just under the surface for several days.
TOWELS AN EXCUSE?
Has the rather maniacal weaving of these towels at bottom been an attempt to keep from doing the work of examining, analyzing, organizing, thinking about all those crackle samples sitting next to me? Well, I rationalized, I just have to get those towels done for Christmas. Once those towels are woven, I can focus my attention on the crackle.
But I knew I was resisting. One of the “inspirational” sentences sitting in a frame on the top of my loom says: “Do whatever is required of you.” Dealing with those samples is required of me. But I resisted and resisted and resisted. And the pain of those samples next to me at the computer only grew.
FINDING A SIMPLE TASK AND MAKIMG A DATE
In the past when I have met up with this kind of resistance I have tried to find a very tiny task to do regarding the project I am resisting. I’m talking about a task that takes no longer than 5 minutes. Then making an appointment with myself to do it. This process always worked. But this time I can’t seem to find such a task. More resistance?
At last the first miracle. A very simple task came to mind. Print out the pages that I need. Actually, there is one that precedes that. Find the pages that I need! This was not all that hard! All I was requiring of myself was to think of the task. I was not requiring myself actually to do it. Set a time and date, yes. But not today.
Friday morning. 9:00 am, when I first sit down at the computer. Two days away. Not to worry.
THE DATE
Then I analyzed to find which sampling went with which printed directions. I numbered the printouts and I attached tags with the numbers onto the samples.
I have hung the sample I want to work with on the door and put the printout nearby. You can see the sample to the left—a fuzzy picture as I couldn’t use my monopod. The rest I have organized into clear plastic folders. I have purchased a small ring binder for all of this…….. I am ready to start analyzing by figuring out what treadlings and blocks are associated with dominant warp visibility……… And that is where I will begin on Monday.
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"Resisting Doing the Work" was written by Margaret Carpenter for Talking about Weaving and was originally posted on November 29, 2008. © 2008 Margaret Carpenter aka Peg in South Carolina
19 comments:
Thanks for the resistance-busting hints. I face internal resistance regularly and cannot always get past it. I'll try your method.
What a great line on the loom!
I tend to try to make little nests of comfort around my work places to help encourage me to spend time in them.
Good work, getting the crackle project underway! Keep it up!
Hi Peg,
I sometimes find myself resisting that which needs to be done and have found that it turns into the proverbial mountain. Tackling it one bit at a time makes conquering it do-able. Congrats on making such good headway on dealing with the crackle samples. :) Which look very nice, btw.
Cheers!
Laura
Angie, I think this kind of resistance is very human. The trick is to figure out how you best can deal with it. I hope my tricks work for you.
Thank you for your encouragement, Amelia.
Laura, housework is what I used to let become mountains. My wonderful husband no vacuums carpets and washes floors....... I used to feel guilty. No more! And thank you for the comment on the samples.
Oh, but at least you started! :)
Marion.
It's the resisting of the temptation to do something else that is always my downfall! Or perhaps I should say the failure to resist. And like Laura has pointed out, I end up with not one mountain, but a whole mountain range!
Those samples are a real treasure.
Its amazing what obstacles we put in our way when we are baulking at doing something! For me its the computer. If I was to spend as much time weaving as I do on line, well, I'd be more than one quarter on my way to my end goals.
I also find working at weaving at home means endless distractions. I go into my studio and shut the door and let the answering machine take calls. If I was at a job, no one would be there to take the phone anyhow!
Susan
I completely empathize...I too find myself in the same position and will try your 'one small step' model next time I'm faced with a daunting task...
I am so impressed by your samples that a bit of resistance to the last bit seems totally forgivable. I cannot see a methodical and analytical individual such as yourself actually missing the deadline!! I bet your inner voice knows just what its doing, thats what I would say to myself anyway, and I am a dreadful procrastinator.
Marion, not only did I start, but I ended up working almost the entire morning on it so got lots accomplished!
Leigh, thank you for the complement. And yes, resisting temptation is a serious issue!
Oh Susan, the computer, that devilish time hog! And yet it keeps me in contact with the weaving community, and that is invaluable.
Lynnette, good luck. It is really nothing more than a variant of Laura's tackling the mountain one bit at a time. One reason I think this works for me is that I can separate out the actual tiny task from the time I must do it. So it is really breaking up that initial small task into two separate tasks.
Deborahbee, I think you've got the other key as to why this works for me: I have always honored deadlines.
Good Monday morning, Miss Peg.
Great job on tackling the issue, and making excellent headway. A confession here -- like you, I honor deadlines. Sometimes I just have to let them loom large enough before I "scare" myself into meeting them! :-) There is a direct corelation between my level of motivation and the nearness of the deadline. . . one would think I would have grown out of that at some point in my adult life. But no.
How wonderful to have all of those samples. What a rich resource, and what a sense of accomplishment once they are all anaylzed, catalogued, and orderly. Wow!
Weave on, Miss Peg!
Jane <-- who is finally free to be back at her looms
Jane, thank you for your comments. I am delighted that you are free to be back at your loom!
How I wish I could be as methodical as you about dealing with dreaded tasks! But, it makes the completed project the more cherished and special for having overcome the obstacles.
Elizabeth, being methodical about things like this is something I have acquired gradually over time. And I am methodically pretty much only in things that really matter to me and that also are very complex.
Your "tiny task" wisdom is just what I needed this morning!
Trapunto, I'm glad this tiny task idea was helpful. I certainly find it helpful when I'm up against great resistance, whether it's weaving to be done or housework.........
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