How does urgency play a role in your workflow? Is there a solution?
I have a harder time writing my daily post in the morning than the evening. The imminent deadline of bedtime and the clock hitting midnight is sufficient to put me in my seat and begin writing. The same is true for a rehearsal – nothing to get me to finish a new arrangement or make a rehearsal plan like the impending downbeat. (Indeed, I often set aside the 30 minutes immediately before rehearsal to complete my plan.) It doesn’t feel like procrastination, exactly – I’m not actively putting off my work so much as I am building my schedule to complete the work when I feel that urgency.
I don’t love having this be my workflow, though. I would like to space out my work, rather than have it wait for urgency to strike. And I am able to pre-write and pre-plan large projects, when it’s necessary.
What I’m experimenting with now is building a schedule that puts my work where I would prefer it, and trying to follow that schedule – letting my hourly calendar be my self-imposed urgency. For example, I am planning to send out agendas 24 hours before rehearsals this fall, which will push back my completing of my rehearsal plan accordingly.
I’m hoping that this will let me spread out my work and give me more spaciousness in my work life.