051122 — Blog — Rulerless

Now, later, and someday

My first experience with procrastination and the terrible feelings it brings was in fourth grade. I was supposed to do a report on Leonardo da Vinci.

I don’t remember whether it was that night or the next morning when I suddenly remembered that I had this project to do, and panicked.

My mom let me stay home to complete the project with the understanding that this would be the last and only time I’d be allowed to do that.

Casey von NeumannApril 8, 2022050922, 051122, 061722, 062122, 062722, 081522, 092322 Comments

Ten minutes at a time

The very hardest, most meaningful tasks don’t always make it onto our to-do lists.

Because you can’t really do a project — you can only do a task related to that project — we might struggle to start the projects that are important to us. Day after day, what we dream of doing remains undone in favor of the urgent and easily knowable.

Casey von NeumannFebruary 24, 2022051122, 092622Comment

Creative constipation

These days, when I go more than a couple of days without sitting down to write, I feel a little bit off.

It's as though I forgot to take my vitamins or apply sunscreen. I can live without these aspects of my routine, but I prefer not to.

That's how powerful our habits can become: For better or worse, we don't feel like ourselves without them.

Casey von NeumannFebruary 15, 2022022822, 031722, 051122, 060322, 081022 Comments

Creative on command

The performing songwriter has a unique challenge when it comes to their second album.

They had a couple of decades or so to come up with the material for their debut, and now they need to write just as many songs in mere months — likely while touring and doing press to promote their existing record.

What's more, they now have to contend with public scrutiny and commercial expectations on top of that. They need to write hits.

Casey von NeumannJanuary 24, 2022020822, 031122, 031722, 051122, 052722, 011923 Comments

Your most important client: your future self

One thing I hear a lot from those who are struggling to work for themselves (or to transition to working for themselves) is a tendency to put non-client-related projects on the back burner.

In the absence of real, actual, scary consequences from a boss or client, we shirk deadlines and procrastinate on the things we aspire to do for our own benefit.

The way around this is to treat yourself — your future self — like your boss or your most important client. In truth, that's what you are.

Casey von NeumannJanuary 18, 2022012622, 020822, 051122, 061722Comment