Time Management

Valian, Virginia. "Learning to Work." Working It Out: 23 Women Writers, Artists, Scientists, and Scholars Talk about Their Lives and Work. Ed. Sara Ruddick and Pamela Daniels. New York: Pantheon, 1977. Other essays in this book are also helpful.

Calano, Jimmy, and Jeff Salzman. Success Shortcuts: 25 Career Skills You Were Never Taught, But Must Know. Cassettes. Nightingale-Conant, 1989. Available on Amazon.

From Success Shortcuts:

Avoiding Procrastination

Just get started.

Break the second wind barrier.

  1. Plot it out on paper. You'll see points you hadn't thought of.
  2. Break it up.
  3. Do the first step immediately (but don't get smug--go on to the second step). Start when you have the idea. Just start anywhere.
  4. Make sure you can do it (tools, expertise, time).
  5. Remind yourself how good you are.
  6. Begin each day with the most unpleasant task.
  7. Visualize completion.
  8. Do it for 10 minutes. You can do anything for 10 minutes. Then stop or go on.
  9. Reward yourself--when you finish the task.
  10. When all else fails, become an automaton.
  11. Find and finish what you have already started.
  12. Start this minute.

Concentration

  1. Create the right environment. Invest time and effort.
  2. Shut the door, and don't worry about what you are missing.
  3. Take a bit you can swallow.
  4. Isolate yourself, perhaps in a new place.
  5. Do a warm up.
  6. Practice focused thinking (meditation, etc.) and actively center your mind on work.
  7. Go with it when you're hot; don't quit while you're ahead.
  8. Concentrate at home, without becoming a workaholic.
  9. Take advantage of being anonymous; keep a pad and pen with you.
  10. Get into the habit of concentrating in the same time and same place.
  11. Occasionally try working before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m., if you are inspired.
  12. Love what you are concentrating on.