Learning to not hover between resting and doing

Lately almost all my energy has been going into getting my new book ready for its launch. I’ve not really seen anybody, been anywhere or done much of anything but work and rest.

One small thing I have been doing every day is reading a little of Fiona Robyn’s excellent book, A Year of Questions. Before my afternoon nap I’ve been picking one or two of the mini musing essays that make up the book and savouring them before I put my head down for a while.

One of the essays that I read almost as soon as I started the book has really helped me look after myself during this intense period of working. In it Fiona talks about how easy it is to aimlessly spend time watching TV instead of properly resting or properly working:

Hovering in daytime-TV-land is worse than not working. It’s not relaxing either.

Aimlessness is a recipe for exhaustion

This image of aimless hovering has stayed with me. I’ve realised that I am often guilty of being in this sort of not-doing, not-resting limbo. Like Fiona, this sometimes takes the shape of aimless TV watching, but can really involve any sort of aimlessness, even things that if done with focus could well be restful (or be considered useful work). I could, for instance spend a useful ten minutes checking and answering a few emails, or I could waste an hour constantly switching between working on a blog post and obsessively checking emails (perhaps with the TV on in the corner) without getting much of use done and probably ending up feeling a little defeated and very tired.

This last month I’ve tried to be very strict (not always successfully!) with myself by focusing on working on my book for specific pieces of time and on specific tasks I needed to get done. I’ve then also made sure that when I came away to rest I REALLY rested, taking myself away from anything to do with the book and focusing on just one thing (a nap, a TV programme I really wanted to see, a few pages of Fiona’s book, perhaps a little knitting or tea drinking). That way I’ve got the book done and not felt exhausted.

Ways to avoid hovering between resting and doing:

1. Set time aside for both resting and doing.
2. Rest in one place, work in another.
3. When working on a computer only open the programs (and windows) that are absolutely necessary for the work being done (preferably one!)
4. If you don’t need the internet while you’re working turn it off!
5. Know what you’re doing before you start (ie plan your work in advance and your rest activities too).
6. Focus on what you planned to do, for as long as you planned to do it (short bursts of activity work best and are easier to stay focused for).
7. Set a timer to help you stay focused (20 minutes is a good length of time).
8. Take regular work breaks. They give you something to aim at (and make sure you take yourself away from your work for your break).
9. Plan a treat for when you finish you day’s tasks (and make sure you don’t try and plan too much or do more than you plan).