How can I get myself to stop procrastinating and working more slowly when it comes to the tail-end of a new model? When I’m working in either Blender or Max, and I’m getting close to actually finishing something, I start working more and more slowly and lolligagging around.
Any tips or tricks?
I know how you feel, goofing off is a lot easier than doing your job.
For me, I take the direct route: I make the conscious choice to just bloody well get it done.
HTH
Meh, I’ll stop procrastinating tomorrow.
I do the same thing too. I’m a bit of a perfectionist so a lot of my messing about involves changing something and then putting it back or even completely changing the style. I just need to learn to be more content along the progress of the models.
For example, I always liked Dodge cars and I started modelling a Dodge Viper. But then I discovered Rod Stewart had one and it lost its cool for me. Sure he has a hot girlfriend but it’s not the same.
I started doing a cartoon character model but as time went on it has taken on a more realistic shape and now looks nothing like how I intended at the start.
Part of the stalling comes from me saying that I have a new idea of what to do but I do exactly what you say and put it off. It’s a dangerous habit to fall into. Days, then months then years drift by and you realise you’ve just wasted so much time and nothing to show. Well, unless you are actually doing something else worthwhile.
I think the only way to rectify the situation is to have an agenda. Make up a list of things to do in a day and make sure you fulfill them. The important thing is to start off realistically and make the list small. I’ve started doing that and it works pretty well until I forget I have a list for about a week.
One thing I found is that you tend to put off work that you lose ineterest in. That’s why I model naked chicks and cars 'cos that covers my interests pretty well. Model what you are passionate about so that you don’t want to wait until you are back working on it again.
It might help if you worked on a team project at Elysiun because you have a feeling of responsibility. Sometimes that’s what makes me get my ass in gear because you don’t want to let people down and you get encouragement.
Way to procrastinate!
Probably one of the deciding factors.
If you’re working at a job and you don’t want to get fired you’ll just do the job.
If you’re working on a personal project and you begin to slack off you aren’t probably very interested. Define what it is you are saying. Make sure it’s something you really want to say. If you’re saying something because you think someone else wants to hear it you will lose focus. If you are saying something because you are passionate about it you’ll see the project through.
I think osxrules more or less exactly nailed it on head. I need to make lists of stuff or I end up goofing off. Just like with a project I’m working on right now, too much goofing off and not enough work.
Sometimes we can get away with goofing off by calling it “lack of inspiration.” This is open to debate but the further I get a long in my artistry the more I feel as though “inspiration” is simply the sub-conscious choice of whether I really want to get anything done. (there are exceptions mind you)
Sometimes I can work several days straight, and get a lot done, where as other times I’m a little depressed by the fact that I really don’t know as much as I thought and I get frustrated when trying to accomplish a goal.
The more you learn, the more you learn that you have plenty more to learn.
Procrastinating…a wretched curse