This is a revised version of a post I published on our sister Tumblr site: Roll. As I realize it’s usefulness, I decided to move it here.
A few days ago I bought Chuck Wendig’s “Confession of a Penmonkey” eBook. I’m loving it so far, funny and insightful stuff!
Chuck’s a blogger, novelist and long time RPG designer. He wrote a ton of World of Darkness books I’ve never read…No offense man, I spent the early 2000’s elsewhere, but my friends tell me that Hunter: The Vigil was teh awesomez.
In his second essay titled The Writer Starts his Day where he discusses the eating habits of the efficient writer (stay away from processed carbs kids and love them eggs) this one snippet struck home:
...if you’re one of those writers who has a hard time Getting His Shit Together, you might want to cast a wary eye at your diet.
I so totally am such a writer. Not so much that I’m not prolific, I’ve proven I can churn tons thousands of words in mere hours. It’s just that I don’t do so in a disciplined and consistant manner because I’m so damn easily distracted and flake out on any effort that is “good for me” at the drop of a rationalization hat.
I want to become better, more efficient so I can handle more freelance work and actually get in that zone where I can stop procastinating (I’m writing this on my lunch break).
Oh that and seeing my growing-again paunch on last weekend’s convention pics… I’m a very vain person and that lard of tub needs some harsh discipline.
So armed with my newfound resolve and the gamification tools at my disposal, I present to you my newest Lifestyle game!
Chatty’s Get it Together You Bum: The Rules
I play to score the most point in a day. I score points by reaching incremental goals I set for myself. I’m considering using the iPhone’s “Epic Win” app to track them.
I keep a weekly scoreboard of daily high scores.
Scoring Sheet:
Productivity
- Write 1000 words = 4 points
- Doing it without interruption = 8 points
- Each additional 500 words = 4 points
- Sans interruption = 8 points
- Completing a significant work-related task = 2 points
- Sans interruption = 4 points
Health – Exercise
- Exercise 30 minutes = 4 points
- In one session = 8 points
- For each additional 30 minutes of exercise = 8 points
- Exercise with family for at least 30 minutes = 8 points
- Picking Bike over Car = 4 points each time
Health – Diet
Current “No” food: Candy, Fries, Beer
- Eat under my daily Calorie budget = 8 points
- Doing so without any “No Food” = 16 points
- Each fruits/veggies portion of a meal = 2 points
- Enter meal in My Fitness Pal = 2 points
Health – Family Life
- Each hour spent with family members= 4 points
- Each unbroken promise (to myself or family) = 4 points
- Perform housekeeping task = 8 points
That’s it. I’m starting this morning, by scoring 2 points for completing a significant, but interrupted task (darn IM and Twitter).
I’m open to suggestions.
Congratulations.
It’s been very interesting, enjoyable and educational to watch you develop these last few years and to see you document it as you go.
It gives me hope that I can be a good person too.
@PinkRose: Friend, we’ve met and I know deep in my soul you’re a good person, the trick is: becoming a better person through climbing over our own inner barriers and outer challenges.
As I revisited old posts (especially the ones where I talk about my mental health issues) I’ve seen you share some of the hardships you went through… I hope you don’t define yourself by the hardship themselves but by how you dealt (and will deal) with them.
Plus, with nails like yours, how you not be awesome! 😉
Thanks for the kudos… It’s really appreciated. Even after 4 years.
Phil, this is very awesome. I’m going to have to steal and make use of this idea myself. I’ve been in that unique morass of too many paying job projects, too many freelancing and gaming projects, and too many big life change projects going on in my life. It’s kept me quite overwhelmed and far less productive than I should be/normally am. I’m going to have to make a sheet like this up for myself and come up with a suitable reward for myself when I score over a certain number of points.
Oh…that sounds interesting. Good luck with it! I’m not convinced it would take anything less than a personal drill instructor to fix me. Wait. Well. I’m intrigued by Epic Win now…
Hey Ayla, how are you? Long time no chat. How’s GI Mike? Feel free to email me if you wanna chat: chattydm@critical-hits.com
Phil! I’m doing pretty awesome. I live in Italy now. GI Mike is still a curmudgeon. I’m not sure whether to kiss you or slap you about this epic win thing now…my must have monster is rattling her cage. I’ll drop you an email in just a sec.