Not getting things done on Koh Lanta

Okay – so January was my time to chill out and not really worry about very much, or do very much. “February I will start to be productive!” I had told myself.

So – here we are in February. Actually right now it’s the 6th February. Since the 1st of February I have been trying to get things moving in my “professional internet publisher/copywriting” capacity. I have piles of projects to work on, heaps of ideas to explore, and mountains of things I want to write about – so GREAT – I AM TOTALLY DRIVEN TO GET ON WITH THINGS! No seriously – I am! Everyone else however, has other plans for me!!!

Let’s take the other day for example.

8.00 am : Wake up, stroll down to 7 eleven for ice coffee. Log on to the internet in our bungalow via Bluetooth, and check emails. Paul hasn’t checked his for a while, so he takes the computer and replies to a few friends – by which time it’s approaching 10am and I’m thinking – “hasn’t he got a course to go to or something?”

10.00am: I push Paul off the computer and he drags himself around the bungalow trying to muster up the enthusiasm to go to “school”. He has a day of academic study! Ha ha ha ha! He’s not so enthusiastic as he is when he’s out on the boat! Meanwhile I check out the finances and do some cashflow analysis – YEP definitely time to get productive!!! And definitely time to stop paying for Bluetooth and go find a free wireless spot.

12.00am or is it pm? I’ve finished the cashflow, had a hot shower, got my glad rags on – and ready to head off somewhere quiet to work, but argh, I need to meet my friend for lunch. She lives at the other end of the island and I haven’t seen her for a few days – so lunch would be a good time to catch up. Still – that gives me all afternoon to BE PRODUCTIVE!

2.00p.m: I’ve had lunch (or was it brunch?), and have had a nice chilled chat with my friend. She knows I want to be “productive”, so she heads off to find some of her own productivity – maybe a game of yahtzee or a power snorkel? I don’t know – but she’s off..... I move to another bar which I think will be quiet, and NOONE I know will be there!!! I arrive at Rastababy bar, which is home to a litter of about 10 puppies... aahhhh – I must play with them a little.... But – Yay laptop is fired up and ready to go...

3.00pm: A couple I met at Kan Tiang Bay come into the bar.......

4.00pm: I send the laptop into hibernate mode as I’ve not used it for an hour while I’ve been chatting to this really friendly, nice couple..... who I genuinely wanted to spend some time with.. I make my excuses, pay the bill and leave....arranging to meet them at the bar at 9pm!

4.30pm: At last – my quiet spot. Viewpoint restaurant.... I now have about an hour and a half of productivity time left at the very most!!!! And those prawn crackers will still keep flying around the restaurant! (see previous post for those of you confused by the prawn cracker scenario!)....

5.30pm: The internet isn’t working at Viewpoint so I head back to Drunken Sailor to do some bits and pieces on the internet.

5.45pm: A friend spots me in Drunken Sailor, and pops over for a chat... I try to multi task...

6.00pm: She understands I’m trying to get on and leaves...

6.05pm: Another new friend comes along. We chat..

6.10pm: The phone rings – it’s Paul – He’s starving hungry after his day of study and is ready to eat...

6.15pm: Laptop closed down – working day is over!

The moral of the story: Working while travelling is NOT an easy task, there are plenty of pleasurable distractions. If you're trying to work from hotspots - then just about everyone around you is on holiday, or having a day off... Finding a quiet environment where you can be productive - can sometimes be the greatest challenge...