As you can see I managed to miss my commitment to write a blog post on the 26th!
Why?
Because I'm over-committed!
Who did that?
ME!
Why?
Because I don't pay enough attention to how many hours are in a day and how many days are in a week and how many things I've said I will do for others (as well as commitments to myself!).
This is the season, especially, to over-commit ourselves and then make ourselves crazy-mean (teeth clenched when one more person says, "Did you wash underwear today?" They're lucky to have dirty underwear! Keep up with the questions and I'll not only give them a perfect example of passive-aggressive behavior, but an up front seat of their underwear burning on the front lawn....
Oopsies...
Are you paying attention?
Did you over-commit yourself too? I took a good look at myself today when I realized that I'd missed this blog YESTERDAY! Really?, Yesterday? Yup, 'fraid so.
I stopped. Thought. And realized that over-commitment is an overpowering thing that many of us do. My goal for the new year is to stop that! I'll be armed with a calendar and this time I'm going to use it! And I'm going to be practical on exactly how much time I really have to do things in a day.
Here's a rundown. Compare it to the things you can actually do.
In a day I,
wake up, get dressed, fix food, clean up after food, clean the sandbox we live in (work on it)--this will require over four hours per day, then I will drive somewhere and do other things at least five times a week--going anywhere will involve no less than three hours, then I will be doing wash, doing bookkeeping chores, talking to loved ones and otherwise be doing things of importance.
How much time can I realistically count on to do things for others? About an hour or two a week--if I remember.
How much time can I realistically count on writing? Time unknown. However, with my new found resolve to watch time. I think I can get a handle on my commitments and start being better about my commitments to myself and my writing.
The New Year is soon. We have a bright and shiny new year, full of hope and possibilities. Let's all commit to figuring out where our time goes and do we want it to be spent in that manner. Let us be aware of ourselves and each moment spent that can never be retrieved. This doesn't mean that we should give up goofing-off time. Our goof-off time renews us. However, thoughtless unknowing with a side of guilt I wouldn't think would do anyone any good.
See you on the other side--(In 2014 ya goofs!)
I'll be thinking of you!
Menu
Member Books
Labels
- Penny Rader (94)
- inspiration (61)
- About writing (59)
- The Writer's Life (53)
- Writing (51)
- writing resources (50)
- Resources for Writers (46)
- All About Romance Characters (44)
- Melissa Robbins (41)
- Preparing To Write (39)
- Creativity (36)
- (Romance) Writers Jargon (29)
- Research (28)
- Character Development (27)
- Memories (27)
- holidays (26)
- Encouragement (25)
- Motivation (23)
- Romance (23)
- Love (22)
- Miscellaneous (22)
- The Process: From Idea to Book (22)
- Characterization (21)
- Challenges of Writing (20)
- Christmas (20)
- Reese Mobley (19)
- The Business of Writing (19)
- Goals (18)
- Romance Genres and Sub-Genres (18)
- Heroes (17)
- books (17)
- childhood reading (17)
- Imagination (16)
- Patricia Davids (16)
- Writing Exercise (16)
- favorite books (16)
- Balancing Act (15)
- Setting and Meeting Goals (14)
- WW2 (14)
- Writing Problems (14)
- writing struggles (14)
- Beginner's Mistakes and How To Avoid Them (13)
- Life (13)
- The Submission Process (13)
- Writing Space (13)
- Characters (12)
- Organizing Tips and Tricks (12)
- Writing environment (12)
- military (12)
- mystery (12)
- Celebrations (11)
- Christmas Memories (11)
- Fear (11)
- Editing (10)
- Settings (10)
- Z Minor (10)
- family times (10)
- organization (10)
- writing process (10)
- Grammar (9)
- POV (9)
- Plotter (9)
- The Process: From Idea to Book; Setting and Meeting Goals (9)
- favorite authors (9)
- friends (9)
- reading (9)
- All About Romance. (8)
- Book settings (8)
- Happy endings (8)
- Kathy Pritchett (8)
- Why Write (8)
- Writng (8)
- Favorite Characters (7)
- Learning Experience (7)
- Locations (7)
- Self discipline (7)
- Sparking ideas (7)
- The Writing Process (7)
- Writing Solutions (7)
- brainstorming (7)
- opinions (7)
- procrastination (7)
- words (7)
- Authors (6)
- Favorites Things (6)
- Joy (6)
- New Year (6)
- Pantser (6)
- Point of View (6)
- Scary stories (6)
- World Building (6)
- Writing life (6)
- childhood (6)
- conferences (6)
- productivity (6)
- romantic (6)
- true stories (6)
- Critique Partners (5)
- Dreaming (5)
- England (5)
- Gifts (5)
- Halloween (5)
- Heroines (5)
- Kate O'Hara (5)
- Pat Davids (5)
- Photo Prompt (5)
- Reading places (5)
- Resolutions (5)
- The Process: From Idea to Book; Writing (5)
- Theresa Jaye (5)
- Travel (5)
- Vacations (5)
- Women (5)
- Writing Inspiration (5)
- Writing Prompt (5)
- Writing Prompts (5)
- Writing tools (5)
- challenges (5)
- confidence. (5)
- sketching (5)
- writing retreat (5)
- Character description (4)
- Fictional Characters (4)
- Influences (4)
- Influential books (4)
- Passive and Active Voice (4)
- Passive to Active Voice (4)
- Prized objects (4)
- Punctuation (4)
- Refilling the Creative Well (4)
- Strengths (4)
- Thanksgiving memories (4)
- The Process: From Idea to Book; Setting and Meetig Goals (4)
- Traditions (4)
- Useful book (4)
- WARA (4)
- Writing motivation (4)
- Young Adult (4)
- favorite genres (4)
- horror (4)
- introspection (4)
- just for fun (4)
- magic (4)
- making money writing (4)
- million dollars (4)
- series (4)
- time (4)
- writing aids (4)
- 2012 (3)
- Back story (3)
- Challenges to Writing (3)
- Characters. (3)
- Christmas books (3)
- Conflict (3)
- Creative Distractions (3)
- Favorite heroes and heroines (3)
- Frankenstein (3)
- GMC (3)
- Passion (3)
- Past and Present Tense (3)
- Short Stories (3)
- Short story (3)
- Starla Kaye (3)
- Thanksgiving (3)
- The Hardest thing about writing. (3)
- Time management. (3)
- Treasure Island (3)
- Weakness. (3)
- Why writers write (3)
- Writer's life (3)
- Writing rules; Challenges to Writing (3)
- favorite movies (3)
- fun (3)
- history (3)
- hugs (3)
- schedules (3)
- villains (3)
- writer's block (3)
- writing difficulties (3)
- writing mistakes (3)
- writing passions (3)
- Anniversaries (2)
- Compassion (2)
- Contests (2)
- Craft techniques (2)
- Creative descriptions (2)
- Favorite television shows (2)
- Grisham (2)
- Health (2)
- Hereos (2)
- Historical event (2)
- Inspiring authors (2)
- New Year goals (2)
- Non Romance Genres (2)
- Passive (2)
- Reinvigorate (2)
- Rewards (2)
- Richard Scarry (2)
- Romance Characters (2)
- Roxann (2)
- Solutions (2)
- Sorrow (2)
- Story Details (2)
- Story Hooks (2)
- Talking Technical (2)
- The Secret (2)
- Types of Publishing (2)
- WARA meeting (2)
- WW1 (2)
- Writing Distractions (2)
- Writing a Series (2)
- Writing goals (2)
- Writing rules; Editing (2)
- constructive thinking (2)
- critters (2)
- fathers (2)
- favorite series (2)
- holdiay (2)
- how-to books (2)
- joining (2)
- medieval time period (2)
- music (2)
- small towns (2)
- spreadsheets (2)
- swing music (2)
- television (2)
- tension (2)
- tribute (2)
- true stories. (2)
- worth (2)
- writing hours (2)
- 4th of July (1)
- Active (1)
- Addictions (1)
- Amish books (1)
- Amish books. (1)
- Birthdays (1)
- Body Language (1)
- Book signings (1)
- Breaking writing rules (1)
- Challenge (1)
- Christmas Customs (1)
- Colonial America (1)
- Descriptive words (1)
- Dragon Naturally Speaking (1)
- Egypt (1)
- Favorite movie (1)
- Favorite reading settings (1)
- Fireworks (1)
- Firsts (1)
- Five Senses (1)
- Flint Hills (1)
- Frank Asch (1)
- Geography (1)
- Grandpa (1)
- Hooks (1)
- Imagery (1)
- Intimacy (1)
- Miracles (1)
- Mother;s passing (1)
- Mothers Day (1)
- NaNoWriMo (1)
- Names (1)
- Natural Reader 10 (1)
- Non-verbal Communication (1)
- Paranormal (1)
- Passions (1)
- Passive Verbs (1)
- Pinterest (1)
- Plain Admirer (1)
- Plums (1)
- Popcorn (1)
- Quilts (1)
- Refresh (1)
- Regency (1)
- Rest and Writing (1)
- Retreats (1)
- Revising (1)
- Rosetta Stone. (1)
- Rule to live by; Writing success (1)
- Sandy Van Doren (1)
- Santa Claus (1)
- Scenarios (1)
- Scene and Chapter Hooks (1)
- School Days (1)
- Self (1)
- Shoes (1)
- Signet Christmas Anthologies (1)
- Spring (1)
- Story Bibles (1)
- Summer (1)
- Supernatural (1)
- Surviving (1)
- Synopsis (1)
- The Shepherd's Bride (1)
- Time management (1)
- Useful books (1)
- Useful writing links (1)
- Visualizing (1)
- Worst holiday (1)
- Writing Style (1)
- Writing death scenes (1)
- Writing rules (1)
- Yorkshire (1)
- antagonist (1)
- blizzard (1)
- computer disasters (1)
- computers (1)
- cowboys (1)
- decorating (1)
- delegating (1)
- democracy (1)
- detail (1)
- elegant (1)
- erotic romance (1)
- fireflies (1)
- flying (1)
- freedom of writing (1)
- gift (1)
- goose (1)
- gratitude (1)
- halloween movies (1)
- home alone (1)
- horses (1)
- how to enter contests (1)
- how to find legitimate contests (1)
- learned from Mom (1)
- literature (1)
- mystery books (1)
- page turners (1)
- positive thinking (1)
- rejection (1)
- retelling fairy tales (1)
- retold fairy tales (1)
- riding (1)
- sheep (1)
- snakes (1)
- spiders (1)
- story telling (1)
- suspense (1)
- time solutions (1)
- titles (1)
- trivia (1)
- turning points (1)
- values (1)
- variety shows (1)
- voices (1)
- weak points (1)
- weakness (1)
- writing group (1)
- writing tools (1)
About WARA
Wichita Area Romance Authors (WARA) is a group of talented authors who are serious about writing for publication. WARA was established to help writers realize their dream of being published and to provide support for writers of romantic fiction. We count several published authors among our members.
Blogging Dates
- 1. Open
- 2. Pat
- 4. Theresa
- 6. Joan
- 8. Roxann
- 10. Nina
- 15. "Talking Technical"
- 16. Deborah
- 18. Nina
- 22. Penny
- 24. Melissa
- 26. Becky
- 28. Roxann
- 30. Patty
- 31. Links from Penny
3 comments:
Sounds familiar, Nina. My days are spent making trips to take or pick up grandkids at school and activities. I've learned to take work with me, so I can get a few things done while waiting. If I were given the gift of a vacation, I wouldn't know what to do with it!
This wasn't my first year with not enough hours in the days to manage all I needed to do over Christmas, but it was one of the roughest.
I had things planned fairly well. I'm a last minute shopper, so it's a given I'll be busy during the final push, but my brother from Montana was flying in to spend two days with me and then he was going to go up to visit my folks.
Long story short, he missed a connecting flight and spent two days in Denver while I waited by the phone in case he got a standby flight only to come up short each time until late the following day.
The snow storm that brought us three inches brought my folks near Abilene 10 inches. Guess where my brother stayed. With me. It was great to visit with him, but my to do list was shot.
Next year, I'm starting my shopping in July.
I once was the queen of over-commitment. It took a long time and hard lessons, long stays in hospital beds and creeping old age to finally break me of the habit--if one every truly gets past it. Being aware of the issue is a great first step to solving it. Keep that calendar front and center!
Post a Comment