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Monday, November 7, 2011

The New Math, by Denise

I recently gave up a day job and gained thirty-two hours plus some transit time.  Which I have allocated to about forty-five hours of weekly To Do items.  Yeah, I know.  The math does not work.

However, I am not numbers-challenged.  I am dream-driven and madly pursing them this month.  Amid NaNoWriMo.  Along with my copyediting jobs (love to read and get paid for it!).  Doing some belated spring-cleaning, step-by-step.  Making progress.  Not as much as I would like to see, but it still makes a smile overtake my face when I pass by one spot that is organized or glimpse a cabinet, knowing behind that door is less clutter and more useful "stuff."

Last night I went through two Banker's boxes of paper I had saved.  I tossed a bunch of old receipts, filed the others, but really, I was mining for the gold--pictures that prompt a novel in me, wisdom that could be the theme for my next book, goal-setting tips because I'm always reaching higher, humorous quotes to guarantee me at least one hearty belly laugh.  We all need more belly laughs.

One thing I realized about my boxes.  They are all To Do items awaiting action.  Instead of throwing in another great article about one single Bible verse that I want to add to my latest volume in my collection of favorites, I should really just stop and type it in a Word doc labeled so.  Back it up weekly.  Voila.  Handled once.  Less stuff in a box for me to review later.  And a quick fix.

I know.  Not enough time in the day to do all our tasks perfectly.  Sometimes it is added to the box(es) marked "Later."  Still, me and my systems are improving.  And it puts my mind in that alert-warning spot where it now looks how to streamline my old processes.

Works for me.

Today, I've got NaNo (of course, this IS November), two copyediting projects to spend some hours on, a few loads of laundry, my Final Edit of my debut novel--twenty-five pages or so for the next nine days would do it--and homemade spaghetti to tackle.

I don't make all my deadlines, but I like having them.  They motivate me.  What motivates you?

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