Parent Bloggers Network

Thursday 13 September 2012

All Work and No Play



After months of fighting it, deluding myself that I'm a writer darling and do not have creative juices "on tap," I have finally succumbed.  I have at long last, admitted to myself that in order to write, to be a wife and mum (with all that entails) and to ensure that there is food in the fridge and a steady supply of coffee by day, chilled wine when the sun is over the yard arm, I need to grow up and get a schedule.  I have a Blackberry for God's sake!  I'm half way there! 

As most writers and bloggers with children will acknowledge, it is near impossible to achieve anything worthy of public scrutiny during the summer holidays and come September, I was itching to get back to my writing.  So last weekend, I compiled a Monday to Friday work schedule.  And mighty pleased with myself I am too!

That's not to say I haven't included a few very important sanity-preserving activities, such as Facebook checking, Daily Mail on-line gossip fix, my Twitter feed and a twice-weekly swim.  But under my shiny new schedule, these have new, more imposing titles, such as "Research" and "Free Period" (very sixth form).

So on Monday, I stuck religiously to my timetable and was amazed that I resisted the urge, first thing, to visit Facebook, thereby avoiding a dangerous foray into the time-devouring evil that is Right Move.  Instead, I immediately went food shopping (just food shopping you understand; no perusing the rails of supermarket clothes I will never wear, cut-price DVDs I will never find time to watch and post Olympic giveaway souvenirs, which would end up languishing in my already cluttered drawers).  I then tackled the leaning tower of Pisa that was my ironing basket, before swimming 40 lengths of my local swimming pool and preparing an evening meal.  Monday, on my new schedule, is a day of catching up on household tasks and trying not to catch a verruca from the swimming pool changing rooms.

Tuesday, I worked hard.  I pitched some ideas to a magazine editor, carried out some research, experienced the buzz of new ideas and felt a growing sense of optimism and achievement.

On Wednesday, I wrote poetry, formulated some of Tuesdays ideas into something coherent and purchased two birthday presents, one of which I will probably take back.  Dangerous territory for me.  A valid reason to interrupt the schedule? I could get distracted...

So here I am.  Thursday.  It's sunny and I'm resisting the urge to go back to the shops by paying my neglected blog some attention.  All work and no play.  I'm on a mission!

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