Reclaiming Time: Week 2
Two weeks without Facebook and next to no YouTube. Do you think it was more difficult than the first week? Yes. Yes it was.
In 2017, in a spur of excitement and over-eager ambition, I decided to write one short story every day of December and email it to my followers. With one day’s exception, I did it. (And on that day, I dug up an old short story from the archive, and made sure they at least got something.)
A part of me is very aware that I could still be that person – the person who gets things done, hammers out 50,000 words in 20 days, while keeping down a job and a life. Somewhere, deep down, I think that’s who I assumed would emerge from behind the veil of constant distraction.
This has not been the case. Here’re some things I didn’t know: Instagram TV is surprisingly similar to YouTube in how it can completely devour your brain (and is now off limits too). Reading can become procrastination (40-minute loo break anyone? No? Just me?) Regaining focus can be really difficult, when the reason you keep yourself distracted is an deep-rooted and extreme fear of failure.
Sounds like I had a rough week? I didn’t, really. Most of the week was amazing. I got loads of things done, I watched a lot of movies, I read, I laughed, and this New Year malarkey felt fabulous. But I did notice how staying on track is requiring much more conscious effort. I think of it as withdrawal symptoms. This week will be better.
Progress
All in all, I think I’m doing okay. I really wish to get a handle on the writing, so here’s a personal challenge where you can help add some accountability: next time you see my achievement update (so, Monday), I will have written more than 10,000 words. Eek!
One thing about not being on Facebook: I really miss getting feedback. So if you’ve made it to the bottom of this post, let me know in the comments below?
6 Comments
Nica
You will get back to that person. Looking forward to the next 5,000 words! ❤️
Amelia
Looking forward to reading you the next 5,000 words <3
M
Don’ t let your achievements be the focus of sucsess.
Relax, watch people on the streets, take a cup of tea with someone, and the ideas will come.
And when the ideas come, then other things follow.
Amelia
I am trying to measure my success in how many of my goals I achieve, rather than the achievements themselves. But I took your ideas today, went out for tea with a friend, and ended up writing 3500 words of short story, so I guess some success should be counted as quality time spent too 😉
Steven Jones
You watched 21 films? Were any of them any good?
Amelia
21 films so far! Yes, I really enjoyed a few of them: Bohemian Rhapsody, The Favourite, Mary Queen of Scots, Spiderman: Into the Spidererse, Doctor Strange and Star Wars: Rogue One. I also watched quite a few “okay” films, some of which were very entertaining if not great: Wonder Woman, We’re the Millers and Bad Neighbours for example! The absolute worst so far: Season of the Witch. The worst thing aobut it? I knew how bad it was, because I watched it once before… but I watched it again anyway 😉