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The Addictive Writer: How to Use Casino Tricks To Write More Productively
By A. Antonow
In 2000, I visited Vegas and found my way to one of the many casinos
that line the strip. It was amazing how easy it was to sit in front of a
slot machine and load small coins into the simple mechanism. Something
that in any other context would surely be about as exciting as watching
paint dry was oddly intriguing, judging by the dozens of patrons on
either side of me.
A few years later, I learned why we don't as eagerly spend hours in
front of the supermarket cart caddy, happily inserting coins into
shopping carts. London's The Mirror ran a great article about the ways
that casinos use certain tricks to keep you spending. And guess what?
Many of these tricks were things I could use myself to keep writing:
1) Lose track of time. According to The Mirror, some casinos purposely
eschew installing windows and clocks so that patrons can't tell what
time it is. In other establishments, staff doesn't wear watches. Special
lighting that stimulates daylight helps customers from knowing the time.
Point well taken: I removed my clock from my workspace and added a
bright new lamp. When I write in the evenings, I don't worry about how
much time I am spending at writing. Instead, I set goals for how many
pages to write. The result is more articles written.
2) Make a space appealing. The Mirror reports that casinos use all sorts
of enticements to keep you feeling enthusiastic about gaming. Casinos
pump oxygen into rooms to keep everyone feeling alert. Great décor,
freebies, and pleasant employees make the atmosphere comfortable. I
don't need a multi-million dollar budget to capitalize on this - I
repainted my workspace in my favorite shade of blue, moved my desk
closer to the (now open) window and bought a desk that was gorgeous and
functional. I feel pampered as I work. Walking into my workspace is a
treat.
3) Make things convenient. Drinks and food are brought right to you in a
casino. You really don't have to leave your station at the slots very
often. I took a page from the same book and made over my workspace. I
now literally have everything I need within arm's reach of my work desk.
If I need to get up to reach something, I know I will get distracted. My
filing cabinet is behind me and all my market books are right beside me.
Drinks and small snacks I can eat while I work are just a quick grab
away. The quick change took about an hour and about $20 - I went to my
local hardware store and bought inexpensive wheeled drawers. They
contain everything I need and I just cart them out of the way when I am
done writing for the day. My writing time is now spent with my butt in
my chair, writing.
4) Make leaving harder. Casinos try to make exits blend into the
background, because they don't want you to leave. Entering a casino is
easy, but there is no real inducement to leave. I can't board up the
door of my writing space - although I have considered it in a moment of
desperation on a day when everyone felt the need to interrupt. I can,
however, make stopping for the day more difficult. I have a list of
enticing ideas, article titles, and writing projects to complete right
on my desk. I have everything written out on pretty paper along with
some goals and inspirational quotes and pictures. This is the last thing
I glance at before "ending" my workday. Often, I find that I have
another great idea or am tempted to write just a sentence or two on a
hot new concept. In fact, I'm writing this article after I have
officially "finished" my writing for today.
No one wants to become a glazed-eye junkie, but these little casino
tricks have taken me from a procrastinating writer to a writer who
churns out words - lots of them - each day. Maybe I should send a thank
you note to the manager over at Caesars Palace…
Short Bio: A. Antonow is a writer living in Canada. In addition to
writing copy for business clients, she happily creates non-fiction and
fiction.
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