Setting the Auto-Pilot To Get Work Done
| My husband is out of town and I'm on my own with both kids. Today was just about work free due to our schedule - swimming lesson, story time at the library, a play date, hair cuts and karate lesson. I got work done only because of two reasons. First, we had an hour of down time between hair cuts and karate. I made damn sure to use it. Second, I set my auto-pilot the night before so I could get my lazy ass out of bed at 5AM. Auto-pilot is about the only reason I can get work done with the kids in the house, especially given my current work load. I'm swamped with the podcast, novel writing, novel editing, graphic commissions, etc. I'm working my way through all this stuff and have said no to any further projects for the time being, but still, working during my youngest daughter's naptime each afternoon isn't going to cut it. I need an extra hour at least, and that's where the auto-pilot comes in. The night before, I pull out my clothes for the day, pack my gym bag, and set up any snacks I'm going to need for the kids. I also lay out any other items I might need - permission slips, blanket for preschool, letters to mail - some place I can easily find them (and where my youngest can't get them). It's all set out for the next day. Then I make sure the alarm is set for 5AM and I hit the sack. When the alarm goes off in the morning, I crawl out of bed and trudge to the bathroom, where I have the following argument with my evil self. "Go back to bed. It's fucking 5AM!" "No. I need to work. I have a podcast to produce." "You can do that later. Right now, you should be asleep." "No, if I do the podcast later, then I won't have time to work on that e-book cover. I have to stay up and do it now." "But you're so tired, and your eyes are all droopy." "I'm taking a shower. A shower will wake me up." "But the bed is soooooooo soooooooooft... And waaaaaaarm..." "Fuck you, I have to work." "The bed is calling to you... Can't you hear it?" "No, I can't! Now fuck off!" And I start the shower. Actually it's the shower that wins the argument, because I tell my evil self that I will go back to bed, but first I must have a shower. Then once I have it, I'm awake. Once I'm awake, I tell myself that I'll go downstairs to work, but as soon as I'm done, I'm going back to bed. Once I get downstairs and start working though, I usually keep at it until 6:30AM, and by then, it's too late to go back to bed, because I have to get my oldest up for preschool. At which point my evil self laughs manically at how tired I am. But hey, the work got done, right? Labels: Write-At-Home Mom, Writing tips |
posted by Helen at 9:26 PM
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Comments on "Setting the Auto-Pilot To Get Work Done"
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The Butterfly Temptress said ... (February 5, 2008 8:39 AM) :
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Helen said ... (February 5, 2008 1:44 PM) :
post a commentI am so glad that I am not the only one having conversations like this with myself. Just realize that sometimes when your comfy bed calls, you really have to answer!
Love,
The Butterfly Temptress
Oh, I have this conversation every morning. Most mornings my good self wins and I get to work once I've had the shower. But if I wake up sick, or if one of the kids kept me up all night, or if I haven't had any quality time with my husband in a while, then yeah, I go back to bed ;)
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