Can You Be Productive While Not Writing?
This week I’ve been sick, REALLY sick, sicker than I’ve been in years sick. Well, you get the idea.
Like you, I set my goals high for the year. I jumped into the Ezine Articles 100 articles in 100 days challenge. I was on-track with my articles. I’d outlined a series of blog posts. Then WHAM!
A dear friend reminded me that sometimes we need to give our bodies a chance to catch up with our minds. If we don’t slow down, our bodies find a way to force us.
So, I’ve been cocooned, wrapped up in my soft ,cuddly robe, usually with my soft, sometimes cuddly cockatoo, resting, healing, and skimming. Since I’ve been unable to concentrate on too much for too long, I’ve been watching SHORT videos, listening to SHORT audios, and scanning articles and blogs.
While I’ve been ingesting snippets of information, I’ve been getting ideas and taking notes for my own work. I’ve gotten ideas for blog posts, articles, teleseminars, audios, and videos.
I’ve posted comments on some of the blogs I’ve read. This is a great way to build relationships and connect with new readers. I love becoming part of conversations all over the net.
As my energy returns, I’ll be able to write the articles and posts that I’ve planned. That is much easier than trying to come up with ideas and write at the same time. While I’ve rested, my mind has been busy at work fleshing out my notes. I will still be able to keep up with the 100 article challenge.
The lessons I’ve learned are
- Listen to your body.
- Slow down before you HAVE to.
- Take time to relax and gather new ideas.
- (Smell the roses too.)
- Write down all your ideas.
- The palest ink is stronger than the best memory.
- When your energy starts returning, use it to heal first.
- Jumping back to work too fast leads to relapse.
- Even if you can’t talk, you can still maintain relationships.
- Emails, blog comments, forum posts, Twitter, and chats all work well without using your voice.
- Sometimes it’s better to be still and listen.
- Give the universe a chance to bring you what you need.
Even though this illness has delayed my planned teleseminar series, I’ll be better prepared for it when I can talk again.
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How do you make your downtime productive? Leave a comment and share your techniques,
Write on,
Lynn
Glad you are well enough to write a post! I predict you will have an incredibly productive period coming out of this. By the way, I love the line, “the palest ink is stronger than the best memory.” Take care of yourself!
Thanks for this post Lynn.
I have been very aware of my sleep debt lately, and have been trying to catch up myself.
I love the quote: “The palest ink is stronger than the best memory.”
You’ve inspired me to get out the MP3 player that I bought to record my thoughts when I’m on the move. I’ve had it a year and I’m still not using it! Well today is a new day, I think I’ll get it out NOW!
Thanks again! Write on!
Many blessings,
Carrie
“The palest ink is stronger than the best memory”
love, love, love that line! now if only I could find all those tiny notebooks I’ve bought and lost…found you through #writechat on twitter
I’m up to my neck in notebooks. Need to start indexing them.
Seriously, I use book flags to mark certain pages of content.
Good to see you here! I love #writechat!
Lynn
Stumbled upon your site through twitter and this post has made perfect sense at the most appropriate time. I too had aspirations of meeting the 100 ezine challenge. But seems I have so many irons in the fire it’s hard to stay focused.
Even so, I keep moving forward and one day will get to each of the notes I’ve written, ideas of intent, and promises of future articles, blog posts and short stories. Not to mention the novel that is waiting to be written!
Lisa
I saw some posts this week of people who have just joined the EZA challenge. It’s not too late to start.
If you try, no matter what, you will have more articles when you finish than you do now.
Lynn