These past few months I've had the same goal: Get Folds in Life and Death ready for publication. And each month, I have not completed that one goal.
Well, it's a bigger goal with lots of smaller parts. I see the list of these smaller parts, and I get overwhelmed. An overwhelmed Cherie is an avoidant Cherie. I've been avoiding social media, emails, visiting blogs, and, of course, working on Folds in Life and Death. Then, I feel guilty about avoiding things I need to do, which just furthers my desire to complete them. And then I realize how far behind I am, so I get into my head that I must do all the things, but it makes me even more overwhelmed. It's a vicious cycle hampered by my overall lack of energy.
But I do need to change all that. So I'm going to try to narrow my approach to my to-do list. One item at a time. Put the blinders on and try to forget the other 99 things on the list. We'll see how it goes.
So I'll have a chance to catch up, I'm taking July and August off from blogging. I'll be back on September 9.
What are your goals? Or are you avoiding them like I am?
And I'll leave you with some good news. My sister finished writing her first novel in May! She sent it to a contest, so keep your fingers crossed for her.
13 comments:
I can relate - I'm avoiding my manuscript at the moment.
Just pick one item and focus on that first.
Hope you get a lot done during your break.
My problem is just not enough time during the day when I'm alert. I'll be slowing down blogging for the summer too but not taking a total break. Hope you accomplish your goals.
Congrats and good luck to your sister!
And, I can relate. I have a big to do list and usually it motivates me, but lately, I've been ducking and hiding from it.
One small step at a time seems to be my motivation at the moment.
Happy word-by-word writing time in July and August!
One thing at a time! That's my motto too. Congrats to your sis and good luck to her!
That's what I have to do. I make to-do lists for the day then focus on one item at a time. If I look at the list as a whole, it's overwhelming.
Know too well how daunting catching-up can be. Have suffered from that a lot this year. Hope your blogging break leads to lots of productivity!
And aw, congrats to your sister! That's awesome! *crosses fingers*
I'm so distracted by my life right now, I'm amazed I ever crack open my first draft doc. Hang in there, Cherie! The journey of a complete novel begins and ends with a single word.
I just went through a whirlwind of so much to do I didn't know where to begin. A little time off will be good for you.
Hi Cherie! Oh wow, congrats and best of luck to your sister. That's so exciting!
I totally understand where you are coming from. I hope you are able to reach your goals for the summer and come back in September feeling refreshed. Take care and good luck!
One step at a time. Hope you manage to get it done. I'm trying to do the same, but I fall off the wagon and do too many things again. I need to eliminate the "Must Do Everything" mantra in my head. I'm trying to just focus on writing Magena's trilogy. I won't publish the first one until all three are done... so I say now. =P
Your new method is my every day method. Make the goals small enough I can cope with them. And I'm raising my coffee cup to you and running away from the computer. Why? Because I'm slightly overwhelmed as well. Writing is hard.
I hope your plan works. I really do.
Anna from elements of emaginette
Wishing you lots of luck on all the little goals! I feel you on getting overwhelmed on the sheer amount of littler things. I have a few big things I need to get done this summer and mostly just peruse facebook lately because they are far too overwhelming :)
Woot for your sister!
I'm a lot like you. Too often, I find myself with so much to do that I do nothing. Happens around the house, with my writing, with trying to improve my habits. I seize up and get nothing accomplished. It usually takes me time to unplug and then be very choosy about one thing to finish before I get started again.
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