Fixing the Unbalanced Writer

There are too many things trying to occupy my time. My brain gets overcrowded and nothing seems to get done. Good intentions lie scattered around like the day after the battle. It is NOT pretty.

The first day of February, a friend sent me an email inviting me to be part of a blog a day challenge. I know that providing readers with regular, meaningful content helps to build my presence on the internet so I dove in. It was going along smooth as silk until I received another email about a drama event.

My husband left his teaching position in public school to try and bring the performing arts (particularly all the different aspects of the theater) to this area. The link I got led me to another link and before I knew it I was talking to a director of finance for another theater and he had some great ideas and support for the project. We made a few more contacts and set up our first meeting. It was all falling into place and then I received another email about an upcoming speaking engagement.

It is amazing how time flies. Although this event has been scheduled for months, the email still kicked me in the stomach a little. It is my home audience and you KNOW they expect more. I buckled down and developed my stories and the scriptures that I would be using. It all came together like a perfect little puzzle, and then I remembered that email that kicked the whole month off.

It has been several days since I posted. I failed the blog a day challenge. Now would be the time I used to just give up, crawl in the corner and watch a little television to unwind. That is no longer an option – mainly because I turned off the service so there is no television. Mostly I am not crawling away because I know that I have done, and can do better. I just have to figure out what got into my path and pushed me, ever so slightly, from the direction I wanted to go.

Getting Balance Back to My Writing

1. I know that things are off. That is the most important step to getting things right.

2. I quit writing down my work time. It was when I was keeping a record of what I was writing and when I was writing that I was getting things done. Accountability – even to myself – pushes me to stay on track.

3. I let my desk and my workspace get cluttered up. Little piles have become big piles. Big piles distract me from what I need to be doing and steal a piece of my motivation each time they have to be confronted.

Now that I can see some of the obstacles in my way, I can create a plan to get things where they need to be.

Plan for the Balanced Writer

• Write it down – that keeps me honest but also gives me a record of what all I did on those days that I managed to get the most done.

• Quit reading emails – or at least quit taking them as a sign that I need to launch a new endeavor.

• Ignore all challenges – although challenges can be a great way to find motivation and inspiration, for now there is enough on my plate without piling on that extra bit.

• Post my goals and objectives so that I can see them and my family can see them. The more I am reminded about the place I am going then the easier it will be to see when I am missing the mark and the sooner I will be able to get things going back in the right direction.

Life throws a lot at you. Sometimes you get distracted and miss a turn. Continue to look at reminders of your destination and you will be in a position to correct your course. My own path already feels better, and the sun is just coming up over the mountain out back. Today is going to be a very good day, and I can say with confidence that the best is yet to come!