Sunday, February 9, 2014

ROWing along the writing rapids ROW80 Update

Some weeks are smooth sailing everything on the checklist gets done and goals are completed. . Other weeks… Well, those crazy weeks are like trying to navigate rough rapids against the current, with a broken paddle.

During those weeks of rough waters everything is out of balance and goals can seem to be unachievable. Fighting against the current can be exhausting to both body and soul. Instead of paddling like a madman to get three inches upstream, turn that raft and head for shore.

Take a deep breath and let everything go for a time. It can be a few hours, even an entire day, just take some time away from it all. Trust me, when you’re doing the rapids upstream and your paddle breaks… one day really isn’t going to hurt. No more than one though.

Taking that day will actually make all the difference in the world. When you wake up the next morning you can get a new perspective on the cause or causes of the week’s struggles. (Sometimes the lil bastards are like dominos, one after another oi ) Now you can look at your goals and other things you want to achieve that week and reevaluate.

Is it just one of those weeks where you have to say, it’s just insane, next week we can get back on track. Or is there something you can tweak and adjust to put this week back in balance so you can navigate even the roughest of the rapids to make the goals and cross things off that to do list.

I’m in that adjusting phase for this week. The last couple of weeks have been seriously rough waters. I’m
hoping this week will be calmer and hopefully these manageable goals will mesh better with the craziness going on in life right now.

Goals for this week:
Create a schedule to help keep things balanced 

Write at least 500 words a day on manuscript
Write one article this week
Write at least one blog this week
Get some art done


Have your goals shaped up this quarter or shipped out? Do you have a new goal this week? 

What is ROW80? A Round of Words in 80 days, a writing challenge that understands you've got a life. For more info go here

3 comments:

  1. My goal is to write earlier in the day so i can go to bed earlier and get up earlier.

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  2. I tend to ave strong creative ebbs and flows. I've learned their patterns, and, rather than fight them, I always set a diverse array of goals, so that I can move forward on non-creative tasks when I am in an ebb.

    It doesn't end in a day; I need several for percolating, usually. So I fill that time with editing, organizing, planning, reading.

    Eventually, the dam opens, and the words flow again...

    This is a lovely post. I hope your break was just what was needed to set you back into a smooth and lovely glide!

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  3. I do write every day . . . but January was difficult for me as so much time went on publishing. But 750words.com brought me right back to writing every day -- The site seems almost an extension of ROW80 for it doesn't matter what you write, only that you write. So far, I'm mixing plotting, research, and micro-scenes. Each day brings clarity . . . but I'm also writing about white water. May the waters be calmer for you in the week ahead!

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