And now, five days later, I can't seem to garner enough enthusiasm to get up from the couch, let alone write.
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| Photo credit: http://www.thechangeblog.com/how-to-lift-yourself-out-of-a-depression/ |
My sense of achievement deflated like... Dammit, I can't even come up with a half-decent simile. That's how deflated I am. But I don't know why, and that bothers me.
True, although I did reach the NaNo finish line of 50K, I did fall way short of my 75K self-imposed goal. I also missed my Novel #1 editing deadline by over a month (and counting). I have a series of four short stories due by next week that I haven't even begun working on. The house is falling to pieces under the three-inch layer of dust that gathered during November. During November I had an excuse--adding up them words--but now I don't, and I still can't seem to locate the energy.
What's wrong with me? More importantly, how do I fix it?
Oooh! You've got a bad case of mixed targets. They fight an inner battle until one achieves supremacy. I had an excuse yesterday for this very same feeling--well, similar. I couldn't find any energy--felt on the border of collapse. During the night, snow fell. I guess my body read the signs. Today, I'm fine. Maybe all you need to do is wait until you feel better too.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Francene. Too bad I don't have snow to look forward to, haha :) But you're right--it's a matter of time. Thanks for the encouragement and understanding!
DeleteThis was me too. It helped to take some time off from writing and I focused on getting my teaching stuff together, before hitting the book again. Also, caffeine helped. Lots of Diet Mt. Dew and Crystal Light Energy. Plus, I think I was recovering from eating poorly over the Thanksgiving break. My body gets really sluggish when I don't feed it right.
ReplyDeleteYou can do it!
Haha--caffeine, that all-powerful panacea :D Well, I had two succulent cups of my favorite coffee today, and I do, indeed, feel better :) Thanks, Rena!
DeleteI always find getting out of the house and doing something active helps shake me out of the lethargic doldrums :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a thing to celebrate, that you won NaNo, but I'm guessing you're probably a little burnt out... even if you don't realize it.
So take a break and do something else you enjoy :)
Ms. Monkey! Yes, you're 100% right--getting out of the house, even if I have to force myself, is a good jump-starter. You're spot on about the burnout; that's the one disadvantage of NaNo, I guess... Thanks for the kind words, m'dear, and for the visit. Your signature is one I look forward to always :)
Delete...just like I always look forward to seeing a new post on your site :)
DeleteAww :) Thank you!
DeletePrioritize.
ReplyDeletePull out a sheet of paper (or if you manage to sit back at the computer, a spreadsheet) and write down everything you have to do, the amount of time you estimate it takes and the deadline (including the buffer you can force for each deadline). Then see which one takes the least time (regardless of deadline) and do it. It'll give you some momentum. Even if it's cleaning the kitchen, don't matter. After that, prioritize however you will, but at least you know exactly what you have to do and you'll be already doing it. :)
Have you considered going into counseling? You're good, Vero. Very good :) I followed your advice, made a list, started tackling stuff... Before I knew it, I'd gotten quite a few things out of the way, and that gave me the momentum to keep going. Thank you! *kowtows repeatedly*
DeleteLike Francene said, mixed targets, but probably compounded by a bit of burnout and creative exhaustion. It makes it difficult to do anything (even just rest) because you know how much you still have to do.
ReplyDeleteLike Vero said, prioritizing can help, because it will give you a manageable list of things to tackle in order of importance. Before even starting that, though, you may want to try to the five-minute challenge. If there are any tasks around you that can be done in five minutes or less (example: dusting, sorting mail, putting away clean dishes, etc.), DO THEM! Don't even think about them. Just do them. You might amaze yourself by how many things that gets out of the way, and then everything else will seem that much less daunting.
Yes! Kristin, exactly! I started with the stuff that took little (almost zero) time, and--like I put in my reply to Vero above--those small things, so insignificant, started my energy rolling. In less time than I thought possible, I'd achieved quite a bit. Thank you!
DeleteYou know my dad is a huge fan of lists. (And llamas.) You received some great advice already. You can also try watching some standup comedy or reading something in a similar genre to what you need to write to help get your juices flowing.
ReplyDelete