Unwind & Rewind With Me Time:
Anyone following my writing journey knows I've worked diligently on a time management plan, setting priorities and establishing a regular writing routine. I've been pleased with my progress until recently. It's amazing how you can be sailing along, feeling really great about things, only to be blown out of the water by things beyond your control. I'm experiencing that now as recent family illnesses have wreaked havoc with my writing & time management plan, demanding most of my time & energy. I've bemoaned the fact, beaten myself up over it, & almost given up a time or two - and then, did what I needed to do. Fortunately, this isn't my first turn at bat - I realize that life often throws curveballs . . . You can stand there & watch it go by or swing for the fence . . . either quit or find a way to make things work.
Thankfully, my mama didn't raise a quitter. You'll find me swinging for the fence. So once again, I have to revisit, review & revise my plan, including time needed to care for & fulfill additional family obligations, along with my normal daily work schedule, while still finding blocks of uninterrupted time in which to write. Stress and worry over the health of loved ones add pressure, as does misguided guilt each time I miss my scheduled writing time. Combined, they drain my creative energy, as I find it difficult to clear my head and quickly revert to my book world within little stolen slots of time. So the question is: How do I utilize less free time in the best, most productive way possible to accomplish my writing goals?
After giving it some thought, I have come to the conclusion that the answer lies in finding some unwind & rewind me time . . . a few stolen minutes here & there to clear my head - a quiet walk enjoying Mother Nature, a few minutes snuggled in the porch swing with my beverage of choice, an occasional soothing soak in the tub instead of a quick shower at night - in other words, my first priority needs to be taking time to renew & rejuvenate my mind, body & soul - pamper myself with a little TLC. On one hand, it seems like one more thing to add to an already overcrowded schedule, but on the other hand, mental & physical therapy is imperative to nourish a happy, positive person. If I enjoy a few Me Minutes each day to unwind & rewind, then I know I'll be more productive & creative when I sit down to write, in whatever time frame I'm able to schedule.
It's important to me to continue writing every day. As Mama said, "Where there's a will, there's a way." I've discovered it's really no big deal to rise a little earlier to either write or grab a few quiet minutes with my coffee, while the world is still sleeping & dawn is just beginning to blush. The silent solitude of early morn balances my mind and gifts me with a peacefulness that carries me through my busy days as both caregiver & writer. A little Me Time goes a long way.
Are you taking time to unwind & rewind your body, mind, & soul? How do you manage to steal moments for yourself in spite of the insanity of your busy day? What's your favorite way to unwind?
Anyone following my writing journey knows I've worked diligently on a time management plan, setting priorities and establishing a regular writing routine. I've been pleased with my progress until recently. It's amazing how you can be sailing along, feeling really great about things, only to be blown out of the water by things beyond your control. I'm experiencing that now as recent family illnesses have wreaked havoc with my writing & time management plan, demanding most of my time & energy. I've bemoaned the fact, beaten myself up over it, & almost given up a time or two - and then, did what I needed to do. Fortunately, this isn't my first turn at bat - I realize that life often throws curveballs . . . You can stand there & watch it go by or swing for the fence . . . either quit or find a way to make things work.
Thankfully, my mama didn't raise a quitter. You'll find me swinging for the fence. So once again, I have to revisit, review & revise my plan, including time needed to care for & fulfill additional family obligations, along with my normal daily work schedule, while still finding blocks of uninterrupted time in which to write. Stress and worry over the health of loved ones add pressure, as does misguided guilt each time I miss my scheduled writing time. Combined, they drain my creative energy, as I find it difficult to clear my head and quickly revert to my book world within little stolen slots of time. So the question is: How do I utilize less free time in the best, most productive way possible to accomplish my writing goals?
After giving it some thought, I have come to the conclusion that the answer lies in finding some unwind & rewind me time . . . a few stolen minutes here & there to clear my head - a quiet walk enjoying Mother Nature, a few minutes snuggled in the porch swing with my beverage of choice, an occasional soothing soak in the tub instead of a quick shower at night - in other words, my first priority needs to be taking time to renew & rejuvenate my mind, body & soul - pamper myself with a little TLC. On one hand, it seems like one more thing to add to an already overcrowded schedule, but on the other hand, mental & physical therapy is imperative to nourish a happy, positive person. If I enjoy a few Me Minutes each day to unwind & rewind, then I know I'll be more productive & creative when I sit down to write, in whatever time frame I'm able to schedule.
It's important to me to continue writing every day. As Mama said, "Where there's a will, there's a way." I've discovered it's really no big deal to rise a little earlier to either write or grab a few quiet minutes with my coffee, while the world is still sleeping & dawn is just beginning to blush. The silent solitude of early morn balances my mind and gifts me with a peacefulness that carries me through my busy days as both caregiver & writer. A little Me Time goes a long way.
Are you taking time to unwind & rewind your body, mind, & soul? How do you manage to steal moments for yourself in spite of the insanity of your busy day? What's your favorite way to unwind?
5 comments:
Breathe!! Remember to Breathe! Having lived on those stolen moments most of my career, I feel your pain and frustration but the surprising thing is, even when written in feverish snatches, when you look back over the work as a whole, it's a shock to find out it really does hang together! So hang in there!
Life has a pesky habit of getting in the way of writing. When it happens to me, I don't let myself worry over it. If I can't squeeze time in today, I can try again tomorrow. The world will keep spinning. I think it's great you're going with you time. That should do wonders for your creativity (especially if you're like me and can't write while stressed.)
~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
Sounds like the way to handle it, Patricia. I'm trying to get to that point. I was letting stress hamper my creative edge...thus the realization that no matter how busy I am, I must take a few "Me Minutes" to just clear my head.
Life certainly has a way of getting between a writer and her muse, but it sounds like you've got it figured out.
Since the weather has turned nice, the first thing I do of a morning is take my coffee out on the porch and read a bit then I get down to it:)
Sounds wonderful, Sandra! I'm doing the same - be it reading or just taking a few minutes to soak in Mother Nature. Those few Me Minutes set the tone for the day.
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