I’m working on a book project, and not progressing at the speed that I would like. So, I arranged to take off several Fridays from work so that I could have a day of the week, uninterrupted, for writing.
I’m certain this is a good idea, I’ve made more progress in the past three weeks than in the months leading up to it combined. Yet each week I make a little less progress.
And today I figured it out. I was mostly caught up an mpow when this started, so taking a Friday off didn’t impact my work too much. But each week I’m a little further behind, and I have more that I need to do while at work. All my meetings have to be scheduled Monday through Thursday, so there’s even less time to get work on the days I am there. And the work that gets left over at the end of the day adds up. (Nevermind that it is one of the busiest times of the year.)
So today, on one of my “writing” days, I spent most of the time responding to email and simple todos that weren’t getting done in the office. This day of vacation was spent on work that I would have done if I were at work. And I didn’t even finish that.
So now I’m trying to figure out how to stay on top of 5 days of work in a 4 day week for the next two weeks–or at least how to get some serious writing done and fast. Perhaps I should draw on the lessons leaned from nanowrimo.
I feel you. Same thing happens with me. I take a day off and get maybe 2 hours of “book” work done. I did that for a year and had little to show for it. Now I just stay an extra hour at work and aim for a page a day — I also get up early 7:30ish on weekends to write for an hour and then snooze a little after that burst is gone.
You’ll find the pace– just keep typing!
Thanks, Brian! This is good advice. I think that you’re onto something with the chipping away each day. I’ll have to attempt to get up a bit earlier tomorrow to see if I can make some kind of progress that way, too!
I had more success taking a full week off at a time for writing (3 weeks over a year). That enabled me to get more of a momentum going than a day at a time did. Of course, you also have to let the housework go and have a supportive husband to pick up the slack (which I know you do!). Keep plugging away.
Thanks Susan! John and I actually were talking about how a week off might make more sense than five Fridays…. I’d have to wait until the semester is over, though!
Very helpful!