I’ve finished 3 of my 8 required college credits for my recertification. I’m almost half-way through the next class (online), working ahead in the hopes that I’ll finish early and be able to have a couple of weeks before the next and last class, a 4-credit hybrid 8-week math class, begins. During that hoped for time off, I have visions of finishing a short story for the illustrated collection and making progress on book three in one of my series. But I know myself. And I know how time is eaten away. “Hope” is what I have for that time away from classes. And passion is what I have to work on my projects.
Just about the time I get a couple of hours to work on one of my books, it’s the first of the month. I’ve committed to sending out my newsletters on a specific date. The promotions I include ensure that I stick to that commitment. When half or full days off come around, I find myself packing in as much as possible. Seeing friends, running errands, taking care of little life tasks. Afterwards, I wonder why I’m tired. But since awareness is the first step, I know to set aside time to do those errands and little life tasks, so rest actually happens. The older I get, the more I recognize the need for rest, regardless of how tough it is for me to relax.
Grateful for my ability to shift my focus, I can spend a few hours on reading and writing assignments. In the evenings, I can work a little on a project. My newsletters aren’t taking as long as they did to compile all the pieces. And writing these blog posts every Friday gives me a chance to revisit what I worked on during the week and what to work on next.
I still have hope that I can create some space between classes. And reminding myself to relax makes my focused writing time more productive. I have an end date for these classes, and I’m thinking this last one won’t require a lot of writing. I have an entire month before my next newsletter (except the short one with a link for the new release coming in a week or so). And a week to make some progress on tasks and projects before my next blog post. What motivates you to finish a project early?
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