Reddit mentions of Paper World Spiral 8" X 5" Notebook Open Side (6-Pack)

Even if you don't go as far as using HabitRPG or any official 'get stuff done' techniques, the most important thing you can do is: WRITE STUFF DOWN. EVERYTHING.

Keep a nice, long to-do list, completely written down. Put any and all tasks and ideas you can think of on that list, and keep adding to that list as stuff pops into your head. For each project I do, I keep a dedicated 8"x5" spiral notebook paper. I get mine from Staples in bulk. Personally, I find paper lists easier to work with than digital ones (plus it just feels better actually scratching off an item with pen).


It's easy to get lost in the trap of working on one task, noticing some bug or something and then working on that, only to later realize you never finished the original task. Sometimes, this trap goes LAYERS deep, and you'll find yourself very far off from where you started. Instead of falling for that trap, resist the urge to "do this thing real quick" and just write it down and forget about it until later.

My lists have the usual 'Fix the bug at xxxx' and 'Finish the xxxx system', but also have lots of very small tasks, like 'Resize that weapon sprite to 16x32' that come from resisting that trap.

A variation of that trap is one where you go on a research spree. Suppose you need to know how to, say, send game data to a server with JSON. You pop open your Google and start researching away. An hour later, you're now looking into MySQL database structures. Resist the urge to do research you don't need at the moment, and instead just write down "Research MySQL database structures." Later, when you're idling, don't feel much like WORKING, but still want to get something done, do your research tasks.


As soon as you're done with a task, cross it off! I like to put the mm/dd timestamp on anything I cross off, too. This way, I can glance over my list and easily remember what I got done in what day and weeks, how this week compares to last week, etc. For tasks that end up being larger than I thought they'd be, I sometimes draw a little health bar box and shade it in the % of the task I DID finish. Filling in the rest of the box and then crossing off the line item feels reeeeaalll good.

When you're having a motivation issue, its nice to look at all the crossed off items and take a mental stock of what you've gotten done. It sort of reminds your brain of that dopamine rush you got when you crossed it off initially, and helps propel you to want to cross even more stuff off.

I have often had the problem of not knowing what to work on next when I finish a big task. I'll just sit there in limbo, or repeating "testing" my game over and over "looking" for stuff to do. This is important to do often, but I definitely noticed that I was doing it too often. Having a list like this helps a lot. I usually pick whatever is easiest or sounds the most fun and take care of it. Sometimes, when I just can't decide, I number the list items I can do that don't rely on other things being done, and then roll a random number generator and just DO that item.


Anyway, this is what works for me, since I've never done well with the "reward yourself" system.

Two additional tricks I use are:

1. Set a firm amount of time to work each day. Set this in stone, and actually work during those hours. What this does for me is allow me to alleviate a lot of that "I should be working" guilt. When it's off-hours, I don't work! And if I do work in those off-hours, it's because I choose to work. I allow myself that decision, and that guilt is a non-factor when I'm relaxing. Trying to relax with the guilt bearing down on you is entirely counter-productive and will drain you. You'll feel like you were working even though you weren't, and that compounds the guilt and it snowballs out of control until you start reconsidering your decision to go through the whole ordeal at all. It's a nasty thing we have to deal with and whatever you can do to counter it will make you significantly more productive and mentally healthy.
   
   
2. Use a Pomodoro Technique. It really works and it feels real good.