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Monday, December 7, 2009
Holiday Incoherence, Take 2
Incoherent Chunk The First: Food, no matter what it is, always tastes better after 1AM. I swear I could down an entire bag of brussels sprouts right now.
Incoherent Chunk The Second: This past week has helped me realize something. Well, it was something I already knew, but it was something nonetheless: I'm really bad at multi-tasking. I'm talking big things. I could juggle three different papers and two tests, and not bat an eye. But when it comes to juggling different areas of my life at once? Fail. For instance, my writing-life has gotten smushed to the back-burner the past few days whilst another area of my life has taken center-stage. Thus, I have a question to ask all of you multi-tasking writer peoples:
HOW DO YOU DO IT?
Don't take this as me complaining. Because I'm not. At all. I totally love that I'm suddenly super duper busy in another area of my life other than writing. That doesn't usually happen, and I love it. I just need to know how to find a balance. I'm horrible at balancing.
Incoherent Chunk The Third: Blast. I know there was something else I was going to blog about...a contest or something...grr. My apologies to whoever I'm forgetting. I blame the 1AM brussels sprout binge. Oi vey.
I'm not very good at multi-tasking. My current attempt is to give myself a writing time everyday. This can serve as both a minimum and maximum # of hours that I can write.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't always work.
Balance is the hardest part, especially if you have a job/school as well as wanting to write.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could say I have mastered this part.....but no.
It is just one of the eternal struggles of being a writer.
Shelley
I think balance comes in time. If this other part of your life is new and exciting, there's nothing wrong with enjoying it a while! Writing isn't going anywhere. And then this part calms down a little, your stories will be waiting for you.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if life is so much about "balance," I think it's more about learning how to juggle. There's always a ball in your hand and a few in the air you'll just have to catch later.
My husband will be the first to laugh aloud at the thought of me ever being even remotely organized. Everyone who knows me well, knows to call and remind me often of things or they will be forgotten. I'm the worst! :)
ReplyDeleteReal life always comes first. That's what I've learned.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Did you see the SyFy channel's Alice last night? I think it's a two part thing. Anyway, I watched a little bit and noticed that your man Philip Winchester is in it. And he looks quite dashing, if I do say. :)
I spent the entirety of November shirking the rest of my life for my writing life and my theater life. The two came out pretty splendiforous. However, my house is a mess, I'm flunking three classes, and my friends tell me I haven't hung out with them in five weeks, when I could swear only two have passed, we're trying to get my dog back to a point where I can only count a few of his rib cages, and apparently Michael Jackson died?!
ReplyDeleteMultitasking, not always easy. Prioritizing, harder.
I wish I had the answers for you, but I'm still trying to figure out the multi-tasking thing myself.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the contest thing or whatever you were thinking about will come back to you.
Oh! Speaking of contests/giveaways, I'm having one on my blog until Friday. My first one EVER!
This is what I sounded like at one in the morning, too. Maybe not with the brussel sprouts, though.
ReplyDeleteI'm having a contest this week too! It's a very contesty week, I suppose.
I balance life and writing time by cutting things out. I didn't mind cutting out my weekly gym visits, not even a little (though I may mind when bathing suit season comes around again). And I invested in TIVO and now refuse to watch live TV with commercials. And, I started waking up an hour earlier every day, and staying up one hour later every night, so that helps a little too (though I am more tired now). But it's still a juggling act. And I'm not sure that will ever change.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
It is so contest week--I'm having one too!
ReplyDeleteI have nothing to offer you, I suck at balance as well. I'm getting better, but I forget that real life is meant to come first. Thankfully my husbnd is understanding...
You know me Sara, I can't multi task, even though I really want to. So yep, sorry I'm adviceless. You could always I dunno maybe eat chocolate? That seems to solve all my problems...
ReplyDeleteSara Raasch, your name seems familiar. Did I meet you on a forum in writer digest or something before?
ReplyDeleteYou didn't have an agent then, so congrats on that!