Just Another Manic Monday
This year, May has five Mondays, so per usual when this strange calendar magic occurs, today’s post will appear in both Monday Musings and Dear Maggie. Apologies to those who get it twice!
If you’ve been reading my blogs for a while, you may know I actually like Mondays. I like the feel of time stretching out in front of me, time to accomplish all the things on my list. On Monday, the week ahead is full of potential. Being an obsessive planner, by Monday morning, I’ve already created my detailed to-do list. Organizing time is actually something I’m pretty good at, so please feel free to lift any of my OCD tips if you find yourself struggling! Here’s an article to check out: Time Management - A Busy Writer’s Guide.
When I sat down to organize the coming week, for the first time since the start of COVID, I felt a moment of panic. On the one hand, with the world opening up, I’m thrilled to reconnect with family and friends, excited to book author events, and grateful to be hosting graduations, birthdays, and barbecues once again. On the other hand, when I am living and working at my normal pace, I tend to forget I need breathing room.
While I hope we never have to return to lockdown, or face the stress and losses associated with the pandemic, there may have been something healthy about the enforced slower pace of COVID. As the world re-opens, perhaps we have an opportunity - an opportunity to decide which things we want to return to and which we can live without, which activities feed our soul and which drain us.
As I feel life racing forward once again, here are some things I’m trying to keep in mind…
I want to be intentional about where I spend my precious time. I want to say yes to the things that excite me, or that I believe in deeply, and no to anything that fills me with angst. I mean, piles of laundry fill me with angst, and of course I’ll keep doing the laundry! I’m talking about big things like writing projects, travel plans, volunteer efforts - things on which I spend big chunks of time both personally and professionally. I’m going to try and pause before saying yes or no to something so I can take the time to respond intentionally.
I’ll try to be realistic. I am definitely not realistic about how much I can accomplish on any given day. This leads to frustration and a constant feeling that I am always one step behind. When I can recalibrate my expectations, the frustration disappears.
I’ll remember to build in the down time. As someone who lives by her calendar, I find it very useful to block out ‘down’ time. Whether I’m planning my yoga classes, a hike, or a lunch date, these soul-nourishing activities are a priority right along side my project deadlines. But, more than planning in the fun stuff, if I actually plan in time to do nothing, it’s like I’ve given myself permission to relax. By making it official on my calendar, I don’t feel like I should be attending to something else. Yes, I recognize this as the mind game it is, but it helps!
As we emerge from the year-long plus cocoon of COVID, maybe we can find something of value to take with us.
“Work on purpose, play on purpose, rest on purpose. Do not let yourself or anyone else waste your time.” - Izey Victoria Odiase
Do you have a question for me? Send it to maggie@msmaggieclare.com, and I’ll answer it here on the blog.
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