Tag: down time

Is Showering Really Necessary?

by eileentroemel, posted in Life

It’s pay week so the normal chores have to get done.  Bills are paid.  Grocery list needs to be made.  I’ve got to go through Ibotta and Checkout 51 to see if we can get any rebates.  We need to make up a menu for the next two weeks.  I need to clip coupons.

Fortunately, I have  more time to do these tasks since I’m off this week.  Today I’m slow getting up.  I woke up sleepy despite going to bed early last night.  My plan for the day – pay bills (done), take a shower (I guess), check diggers hotline to see how far in advance we have to schedule, work on edits for Wayfarer Conviction, read the rest of the Wayfarer series, and remember to have meals.

Yesterday I got to tell my daughter I was at 90% for reading a book and she needed to go away while I finished.  She’s usually the one telling me this – but she reads a kagillion books in a year.

My vacation is going well.  I’ve crossed off a number of things on my todo list and I’m still working on several of them.  Progress is good.  I’ve also had down time to veg.  I’ve worked on the business side of my writing / publishing stuff.  I’ve finished writing a novel and am shifting to the editing phase.

Next I want to do some crocheting.  I’m trying to decide if I will take a day to binge watch a series or movies while I crochet or if I’ll do it during the evening.  I’ll have to see how things go.  (This is more of my zen approach – sort of).

The hardest part for me during my vacation?  Remembering to shower and eat.  I get involved and forget to do both.  I’ve listened to a lot of music and read several books while I’ve been off – a few not the Wayfarer series.  It all goes to me taking time to take care of me and do the things I LOVE to do.

One downside to cleaning and organizing my craft room – I want to crochet and create.  I can feel that edging into my brain for let’s do this now.  We were putting away some amazing yarn and I wanted to get my hands on it and make good stuff with it.  I can feel the switch from writing to crocheting coming.  However, I have a lot of editing to get done first.  Right now, characters are pushing on me more than the desire to crochet.  I’m going with the flow of things for now.

Motivation Needed

by eileentroemel, posted in Life

I meant to get up early today and get to work on publishing.  That didn’t happen.  Instead I slept late and only got up when one of my daughters called.  I chatted with her, worked on sales, coupons, rebates, and so on.

Ken is off now to go do stuff with his family.  I’m going to work on publishing – I swear.  It is pay weekend so I need to do coupons today so he can take them with him tomorrow when he does the grocery shopping.  We are going to have Panera for breakfast.  I had a rebate of $1 if I spent $7 and got a drink.  We are getting three pastries and a coffee (for Ken not me).  The bill came to roughly $12.  Ordering online, I had a $2 coupon from Panera and then through Find & Save, I have a $1 rebate.  This takes my 12 down to 9 which is nice.

I’ve been reading my Wayfarer series for multiple reasons.  The first is to get excerpts so I can post them on social media and the second is to get back in the story and characters as I edit 10 and finish writing 11.  I started Wayfarer Freedom last night which is book 8.  This means I’m almost caught up to do the editing on 10.  I’m hoping to finish it and publish it next month.

The first week back for classes was a bit rough.  It was insanely busy but I got through it.  Hopefully it gets a bit better this next week.

I’m trying to decide if I want to take my birthday off.  It’s a Monday which is sort of a bad day to take off.  I need to decide soon.  I may just save the day so I can have a writing weekend later.  

While it’s quiet I should get something accomplished.  I shouldn’t just be a bum and do nothing or play computer games – right?  I need to focus and get to work.  The motivation is a bit lacking today.  This is not a good sign.

Balance

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Writing

One of the things I struggle with most is finding a balance in my life.  I’m either too focused on work, school, or whatever and forget to take time for me. 
This week I had a long to-do list for homework I wanted to get through.  It involved three chapters, videos, and labs for science, three books, excerpts and comments, paper, and final project for Prose Stylistics.  In addition to that I had a long list of crocheting I wanted to get done including three graduation gifts which are time consuming. 
For a change, I think I’ve found a balance (temporarily I’m sure).  Yesterday is a perfect example.  I spent four hours working on homework.  I finished (well all except a final read through) of my paper, read the last nine excerpts and wrote comments, and I worked on some comments for science.  This four-hour session was spent at my computer and by the time I was done my legs were bothering me. 
After I was done at the computer I took my science book with the intention of sitting in the recliner and reading.  Instead I watched some TV with Vicki and then took a nap.  After the nap I worked on crocheting a grad gift.  The rest of my day was spent either crocheting or enjoying my down time. 
This morning I am working on homework until Vicki comes back with our friend.  Then I will work on crocheting because they will be playing on the Wii and it is too distracting for me to do homework.  However, I can enjoy their company while I work on grad gifts.  I won’t have to feel guilty for the down time because I will be putting in some study time before they get here.  I may finish another chapter of science or just make progress on it.  I don’t know how far I’ll get but I know I will feel like I balanced out my day by working this way. 
Without a doubt, I will struggle with having balance, but for this past week, I can at least feel like I found some semblance of it during my vacation time.  My to-do list didn’t get done – either one of them – but I did make progress on both.  Maybe that is the point, especially for someone like me who always has too long of a to-do list, I got something done on both lists and made progress.

Mindlessness

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized

I’ve discovered that I require a certain level of mindlessness.  It doesn’t matter if it is playing on Facebook or a computer game, watching mindless tv or whatever.  There are times when my brain says enough and I require a break.  It is probably because I don’t get enough sleep and it is shutting down to sleep (even when it won’t let me sleep). 

Last thing at night I am generally on my computer.  I either answer emails or playing games – usually games.  At the end of the day, I seem to need to have that blank mind and not think about anything more strenuous than which card plays or find the objects listed. 

I’d rather not have these moments of mindlessness but my brain seems to be requiring them.  The thing is I could easily sit at my computer and write during these times.  In fact when I do, I am often energized and lose track of time.  (This is probably why I need the mindlessness.)  However, at 11 pm I need to be going to bed not writing in my novel.  Unless of course, I don’t need to get up the next day – then it is all about the writing.