December 2 Writing.
What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it?
(Author: Leo Babauta)
When I first saw this prompt this morning on my phone I was hesitant to even participate today. What do I have to contribute to this question? I’m not a writer.
Over the course of the day, I mulled on this topic and thought, yes I am a writer! I write a blog. I write lesson plans. I write my journaling in my scrapbooks. I write notes in cards to friends and family. So what keeps me from keeping up with these things and can I eliminate those things?
Blog Updates
There is simple not enough time on some days. I work full-time as a teacher and it keeps me away from the house from about 7 am until at least 5 pm on most days. When I get home I spend some precious time with my husband since he normally goes to bed for a nap around 8 pm before going into work. Therefore my “me” time is from 8pm to 11 pm when I have to get in everything that needs to get done (shower, laundry, dishes, heaven forbid I watch tv, emails, catching up on reading blogs, etc.)
Can I remove some of that? Yes, I can and I have. I can be very good about pre-writing blog posts and getting them schedules for my blog when I have stuff to say. I love to write for my blog and it is something that makes me feel empowered. I am getting the words that are in my head out into the world and hoping that someone might read them (and comment).
Lesson Plans
The one and only thing that keeps me sometimes from writing my lesson plans, simply it is time management. I “find” other things to do then to write them and prioritize them over my lesson plans.
I am definitely getting better with this and even after 7 years, it still takes time and some weeks are definitely better than others.
Journaling in my Scrapbooks
Most often my reason for not journaling in my scrapbooks is that I feel that I don’t have the right words. I want it to be perfect and don’t want to screw it up. I wait until the very end of a layout and then put in a word or two most of the time. Then there are other times that I have so much to say that I could journal an entire page. I need to make sure that I tell myself the story is what is important, my words on paper will mean a lot to myself when I am able to go back and look at my work.
