The good news is that I feel like I'm snapping out of my energy-drain and have a good plan for the coming week that involves resuming my ritual of getting out of the house for 2-3 hours every morning to go write in a coffee shop or the library. I'm not exactly sure why it helps me feel more energetic and focused to do this, I only know that it does, and I haven't done it in something like three weeks. Time to rectify.
Now for this week's...
"A Round of Words in 80 Days is the writing challenge that knows you have a life."
[Note: This update only includes the past week's tasks and the coming week's tasks. If you'd like to know how they relate to my goals for this round, you can read my 2015 Round 1 Goals post.]
Creative projects
Past week's tasks: Finish re-reading WIP1, making notes & formulating revision plan Mon-Tues; Wed-Fri begin carrying out revision plan. On Monday I decided that re-reading WIP1 would distract rather than aid me at this point in my process, so instead I formulated my revision plan and began to implement it. However, due to the aforementioned factors, I got no further on the revision for the rest of the week.
Coming week's tasks: Email line editor to see if I can have an extension; if not, rework revision plan to fit two weeks. In either case, continue WIP1 revision.
Blogging
Past week's tasks: Post twice more on this blog - on Wednesday about writers' tools and on Friday a recap of the writing success series; contact at least 2 people about participating in the next series, which will be about the characteristics of good writing. Did not post on this blog, though I started 2 or 3 new ones. Contacted 2 people about the next series; one of whom has agreed to write a post.
Coming week's tasks: Post at least once more on this blog, preferably twice.
Reading for fun
Past week's tasks: Begin reading House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. Nope. Once again I proved unequal to the task; the idea of attempting an experimental novel while I already had so much else going on was more than I could handle. However, I did read for fun. I reread Pride and Prejudice. For about the fiftieth time. God I love that book.
Coming week's tasks: Read Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach.
Community participation
Past week's tasks: Comment on 2 ROWer posts. Done.
Coming week's tasks: Comment on 2-3 ROWer posts.
Social media
Past week's tasks: 30 mins on Twitter, 2 times; 2 FB posts on the LLC page. Spent time on Twitter. Posted more than twice on FB.
Coming week's tasks: 30 mins on Twitter, 2 times; 2 FB posts on the LLC page.
Editing/coaching
Past week's tasks: Draft new copy for website; write list of blog post ideas that came out of envisioning work; send new website copy to friend for feedback. Made progress on the new website copy and blog post list, though am still far from finished. Have chosen March 20th as a deadline to have this work done, since it's proving more challenging than I anticipated, at which point I'll send it to my friend for feedback.
Coming week's tasks: Continue to work on new website copy, list of blog post ideas.
What do you do when you experience an unanticipated dip in energy? How do you take care of yourself and prioritize your tasks?
This is a blog hop! Click here to read other ROWers Sunday check-in posts.
P.S. ROW80 founder Kait Nolan is looking for sponsors for the next round. It's a great opportunity to engage with other writers on a weekly basis and to write an inspirational post that will be published on Kait's blog. Contact her for more info if you're interested!: kaitnolanwriter (at) gmail (dot) com
I like your goals! I might just swipe some of them for inspiration for this next Round coming up soon. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou ask how we deal with sudden energy drains. I live with them, what with chronic and severe anemia. When one hits me, it can take quite some time to recover. I put things on hold if I can, and eat lots of protein and get lots of sleep. Red meat helps me more than other kinds of protein, but YMMV. Mostly, though, allow yourself to take it a little bit easy, and put off what you can afford to put off, spending your energy only on whaqt MUST be done by a deadline. For most healthy people, such a slump rarely lasts for more than a couple of weeks.
Sometimes your body and mind just needs a break. It's good to listen to it at these times. Yes, I know, deadlines don't move easily but sometimes it's best to see what low priority things can be moved off the plate to give a little more time to rest. I always think of the air steward saying that you have to put on your own oxygen mask first before you can help anyone else. You can kind of apply that to everything in life. Looks like you were pretty productive even in a "slump". Best of luck.
ReplyDeleteThere are weeks (heck, months) where about the only thing I can do is just what I have to do. Tammy and Isobel have good ideas. Sometimes breaking some of the tasks that require a lot of time into mini-sessions (15-30 minutes) might be better than lengthy sessions without a break. Might want to try that.
ReplyDelete~hugs~
ReplyDeleteRight back at you, Girl! It's been a long 2 weeks of final prep for my show. I was either rehearsing, sleep, or stressing out.
It'll come back. And besides you seem to have a handle of the goals. You got this!