For fans of Stephen King, a Langolier is a scary entity that eats your time. It’s make believe of course, and a proof of the incredible creativity of the Ultimate King of Horror. But these days, its existence looks more and more like fact and not fiction. Judging by the amount of time we spend organising our life and going through established routines like job and family obligations, it is so easy to lost track of how time is slipping away from us.
During my mid-year review – please tell me you too evaluate your last six months’ progress, personally and professionally, or else I am going to feel like a freak – I was dismayed to realise that I had been spending more and more time online during the day, and then working only when the deadline approached. Now, we all know of the deadline crunch adrenaline rush, and how it serves as a catalyst to push us into overdrive and get that work done, but what worried me was that I was sacrificing my days to the online world. And you know what they say… How you spend your day is how you spend your life.
Back in 2009 when I was studying in London, there was an unspoken code of conduct. If it’s sunny outside, no one was indoors (obviously I am not talking about those who have to be indoors, such as office folks). That part of the world gets so few bright and clear days that it was considered a crime to be indoors. People were outside as much as possible and enjoyed the good weather (often with barbeque and pool parties!), before it disappeared. If at all I refused to come out, my friends would cry, “But it’s so nice outside! Don’t waste such a good day by staying in!”
So. I have been wasting a lot of day time, going on social media and binge watching boxed sets, when I should have been making use of the day. That’s the problem with being a freelancer – if you’re not careful (or disciplined), you can lose the plot pretty quickly. It’s disgustingly easy to lose yourself in distractions when there is no one to report to.
If you have been following my blog, you would know that my goal for this year is to edit the 10 chapter books I completed last year + edit the book I wrote for Nanowrimo 2014 + write a new novel for Nanowrimo 2015. It became very clear that unless I did something about my (bracing myself here) internet addiction, I am not going to reach that goal.
As immediate damage control, I have adapted this same policy. I am not facebooking or watching TV when it’s bright outside (except for sundays – we all need cheat days, otherwise we’re doomed). FB &TV will be a purely chill out session after I complete my day and am ready to unwind. I have already disabled notification emails to my inbox so now I have to manually arrive at FB to check all my notifications. And I am happy to say, I have already seen the results of this enforced curfew – my WIP has progressed very well, and I also feel more connected to the outside world. More… free.
Now, this is where you come in. I have some questions for you:
1. Can you take a few minutes to find yourself a quiet corner and go over the last 6 months of your life? Preferably with a notepad and pen in your hand, or at least your smartphone/ipad? Yes? Good!
2. Now, close your eyes and ask yourself: What have you achieved so far in the last 6 months and are you happy about it?
3. What have you NOT achieved, and why? What (or who) is holding you back?
4. Where are you losing your goal / time / power? What are you going to do about it?
5. Write down the answers and make sure you re-read them the next day. Then start thinking about possible solutions.
I know… these are very tough questions to ask yourself. But they are extremely helpful in understanding where you are right now and how you can be better. If you need to share the revelations with some one, feel free to contact me 🙂
USEFUL LINKS:
http://www.whatsnext.com/content/life-values-self-assessment-test
http://www.startofhappiness.com/wheel-of-life-a-self-assessment-tool/
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