Paperwork & Bodywork: short virtual anti-procrastination calls May 7, 2022 11:36 AM Subscribe
Is there paperwork or light exercise you've been putting off? Would mild peer pressure from other MeFites help you get started? Join or start a short call! As a followup to recent FPPs on fitness, on Hybrid Calisthenics, and on accountability and body doubling, I'm setting up several IRL (but actually online) events May 10th-14th. And I'd love copycats.
Paperwork: 25-minute calls where everybody gets started on tedious/terrible stuff like tax returns, finding a new doctor, expense reports, making maintenance appointments, etc. A few minutes of "Here's what I'm working on" settling-in, 20 minutes of quiet work, and then a few minutes of "here's what I got done". And if anyone wants to stick around to chitchat after they can. Videocalls -- camera on or off. Feel free to share your screen for increased accountability!
Bodywork: 25-minute calls where everybody does a light exercise video together via the magic of the shared embedded YouTube player. Starts with 5 minutes of checkins and "what are you ok with doing today?", then 10-15 minutes for the exercise, then a few minutes for "how was that for you?". And whoever wants to can stick around for more chitchat and stretching. Videocalls -- camera on or off. Past IRL example.
I'm scheduling 4 of these over the next week via IRL and tagging them PaperworkAndBodywork. I will feel more successful in this if other MeFites go ahead and make a few of your own; I know my times won't work for everyone!
Free videocall platforms you could use include Zoom, but also Jitsi and Whereby, which work in the browser on desktop and mobile:
Jitsi -- no one needs to make an account. Up to 100 participants. Open source. You can make a moderated meeting or require a passcode to keep it under control. Easy to share a YouTube video for everyone to watch.
Whereby -- only the room owner needs to make an account. The owner can lock the room and screen who's allowed to join - users entering "knock" and give their names. Group meetings for up to 100 people for up to 45 minutes; 2-person meetings free for unlimited duration. Easy to share a YouTube video for everyone to watch, which is helpful for the exercise calls.
Paperwork: 25-minute calls where everybody gets started on tedious/terrible stuff like tax returns, finding a new doctor, expense reports, making maintenance appointments, etc. A few minutes of "Here's what I'm working on" settling-in, 20 minutes of quiet work, and then a few minutes of "here's what I got done". And if anyone wants to stick around to chitchat after they can. Videocalls -- camera on or off. Feel free to share your screen for increased accountability!
Bodywork: 25-minute calls where everybody does a light exercise video together via the magic of the shared embedded YouTube player. Starts with 5 minutes of checkins and "what are you ok with doing today?", then 10-15 minutes for the exercise, then a few minutes for "how was that for you?". And whoever wants to can stick around for more chitchat and stretching. Videocalls -- camera on or off. Past IRL example.
I'm scheduling 4 of these over the next week via IRL and tagging them PaperworkAndBodywork. I will feel more successful in this if other MeFites go ahead and make a few of your own; I know my times won't work for everyone!
Free videocall platforms you could use include Zoom, but also Jitsi and Whereby, which work in the browser on desktop and mobile:
Jitsi -- no one needs to make an account. Up to 100 participants. Open source. You can make a moderated meeting or require a passcode to keep it under control. Easy to share a YouTube video for everyone to watch.
Whereby -- only the room owner needs to make an account. The owner can lock the room and screen who's allowed to join - users entering "knock" and give their names. Group meetings for up to 100 people for up to 45 minutes; 2-person meetings free for unlimited duration. Easy to share a YouTube video for everyone to watch, which is helpful for the exercise calls.
What a terrific idea! I'll see you on Tuesday for the paperwork session.
posted by mochapickle at 5:14 PM on May 7, 2022
posted by mochapickle at 5:14 PM on May 7, 2022
brainwane, what a fabulous idea. Not sure of my schedule this week but I’ll make one or another.
Thank you for this and for making them a manageable amount of time! I can do most things for 25 minutes.
posted by punchtothehead at 5:34 PM on May 8, 2022
Thank you for this and for making them a manageable amount of time! I can do most things for 25 minutes.
posted by punchtothehead at 5:34 PM on May 8, 2022
Can we make the paperwork call 4 hours long? I have about 50 insurance claims I have to file.
posted by haptic_avenger at 11:55 AM on May 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by haptic_avenger at 11:55 AM on May 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
I will set one up for decluttering/cleaning!
posted by manageyourexpectations at 10:48 AM on May 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by manageyourexpectations at 10:48 AM on May 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
I ran 4 events in this series and no one attended 3 of them. But we did have a few participants for the paperwork session that happened midday Eastern (North American) Time on a weekday, so maybe that's a promising time slot for future events of that type.
posted by brainwane at 5:07 PM on May 21, 2022
posted by brainwane at 5:07 PM on May 21, 2022
I still think it's a good idea, brainwane, and I really enjoyed the session I attended. It was an encouraging push to get something done that I'd kind of been flailing on and the accountability was an important aspect of it. manageyourexpectations set up a similar clutterbuster session that was really appealing but just happened to be on a morning I had a lot of things already locked in.
But yeah, I truly think there's potential for this kind of thing in IRL. Right now I'm on my third multiweek asynchronous meetup over there (two housecleaning programs early in the year and now several of us are working through The Artist's Way. I'd had this idea we'd start on the same week, but we have people checking in from different points in the program and it's been absolutely terrific that way. Again, that's been entirely asynchronous.
I do enjoy the live idea, though. I think if there were a regular weekly or biweekly devoted task at an assigned time, there may be sustained interest. I might give that some thought -- I'm always in need of catch-ups, cleanings, declutters, planning sessions.
Thanks again for bringing this idea to us!
posted by mochapickle at 6:02 AM on May 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
But yeah, I truly think there's potential for this kind of thing in IRL. Right now I'm on my third multiweek asynchronous meetup over there (two housecleaning programs early in the year and now several of us are working through The Artist's Way. I'd had this idea we'd start on the same week, but we have people checking in from different points in the program and it's been absolutely terrific that way. Again, that's been entirely asynchronous.
I do enjoy the live idea, though. I think if there were a regular weekly or biweekly devoted task at an assigned time, there may be sustained interest. I might give that some thought -- I'm always in need of catch-ups, cleanings, declutters, planning sessions.
Thanks again for bringing this idea to us!
posted by mochapickle at 6:02 AM on May 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
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Yay for amazingly great ideas!
posted by kristi at 1:46 PM on May 7, 2022 [3 favorites]