Sometimes Christina Katz’s topics are so frighteningly on target for the events in my life, I wonder if she has my office bugged!! This week she discussed being busy in The Prosperous Writer.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been trying to figure out how I can add something new to my already overcrowded schedule. As I looked at shifting my priorities around, eliminating some activities, and postponing others, I began to have panic attacks. I would sit at my desk frozen, clutching my chest as my heart pounded, and struggling for breath. My guilt over projects I’m already neglecting as I work on smaller projects began to overtake my rational thought process. The truth is that I’m always busy. And, I get a lot done but am I focusing on the things I want to accomplish or am I stalled as I focus on being “busy”? I’m afraid I’ve fallen into the last trap. My schedule is packed so full of small tasks that I’ve forgotten to include the big projects on it. That’s really a backwards way to do things but it sure does keep me busy.
So I think it may be time to revamp my schedule to focus on the large projects that are important to me and my career. I can then fit the smaller projects that are also important to my career goals around those large projects. It may also be time to re-evaluate some of the activities that keep me busy but aren’t really contributing to my career goals. But who has the time? I’m too busy…
It’s time to stop using being busy as an excuse to not work on my next book projects. I have two novels started and stalled and an idea for a nonfiction book that I need to explore developing. All this is essential to progressing my career. It’s also plenty to keep me busy.
So I have to decide whether I want to be busy with busyness or busy with the important stuff… I choose the important stuff. What about you?
August 1st, 2010 at 10:29 am This is a good reminder for all of us, TL.
August 1st, 2010 at 10:30 am And yes, I have your office bugged. ;)
August 2nd, 2010 at 12:51 pm Christina, thanks! And, I knew it!!!! ;-)
August 3rd, 2010 at 8:02 pm You hit the nail on the head!
August 3rd, 2010 at 11:07 pm Thanks, Kelly. I’m not always great with a hammer, but boy when I am… :)