From being proactive to being a procrastinator, people are all over the place when it comes down to getting down to work. What do you do when it’s time to work?

Do you sit down and dig right in? Is there some ritual you have to go through like getting a cup of coffee or checking your email first? Do you push the work off and check Twitter for updates on current events or start playing a game on your phone and promise yourself you will get to work right after you beat the level?

I remember hearing advice from a writer on how to be productive when it was time to work…

“Stay in the chair”

But that’s only half-right.
You have to stay in the chair AND you have to get to work.

If you’re a writer, that means you have to stay in the chair AND type words on the keyboard into a Word document.

If you’re a web designer, that means you have to stay in the chair AND create awesome websites.

If you’re an accountant, that means you have to stay in the chair AND keep track of your clients’ bookkeeping.

The next time it’s time for you to get to work, don’t forget about what you have to do after you sit down and stay in the chair.