Finding Motivation and Making Time for Non Urgent Essentials
I have a friend who is a great writer. She talks often about sitting in cafes, journal in hand and spending time leisurely at creative writing. She had a window seat built into her apartment as the perfect spot to curl up and write. When she talks about this, I get a clear mental picture of her writing, with a big ceramic coffee mug, a pen and a journal. It looks beautiful. The trouble is - I have never seen it happen in real life. Having just started a new job, she is busier than ever, working crazy hours, running home to do laundry, dinner, cleaning up. There is always something urgent to attend to and she, like many of us finds herself procrastinating on important tasks like writing.
I have another friend/client...(actually I have so many that fit this same pattern I have lost track...there's are good chance if you are reading this you see yourself in here) She emails me and texts every week. "Boy I really need a massage" "Boy I have to get in there soon" The we start to talk about dates.."what about tomorrow? No, I Would love to but I have to do something for my sister...The next day? Gosh, I wish I could, but I promised so and so I would.... and on it goes. We always talk, and it never happens.
We all do, I think: we know there’s something we should be doing that’s really important for our well being, emotional or physical or spiritual, … but there are other less important we do instead. Sometimes it a case of over committing to others, Or sometimes its just a time suck. We check our email, respond to messages, read news, find interesting things to read online.
It’s hard to motivate yourself when no one is breathing down your neck making you do the thing right now. Especially when there’s a world of fascinating things online, or a million little tasks you can do instead.
What can you do?
Here’s what I suggest:
Reconnect with why it matters. If you want to write something, for example … why is it important to you? What do you love about the writing? It brings her joy. That’s incredible, and it’s easy to forget this deeper meaning when you’re caught up in the busy-ness of your day.
Remind yourself how much you love it. Doing things that nourish your soul are so important in the midst of a chaotic life especially. If you wait until you have the time, you will never have the time.
Ask yourself - whats stopping you. When you find yourself procrastinating on something you would like to do, pause. Ask this simple question, “What’s stopping me from writing?” (or booking a massage, or whatever task you want to do) … and be honest. Sometimes it’s the idea that you don’t have time right now, but the truth is you probably do have time - maybe not today but maybe tomorrow. But usually there’s nothing really stopping you from writing. Nothing stands in your way from doing important, joyful, meaningful work. So get to it!
Figure out how to make the time. Usually this starts with "Saying No". Saying no to someone or something else. But also often it is simply a matter of eliminating some of the little time sucks, like the internet!!!! Maybe it is a combination. When it comes to my friends writing, and my photography, I simply have to be more diligent about allocating the time to that thing and not deviating from it. For me this is my weakness. Yes I write these things but only because it helps me with my own weaknesses. I often set aside the time for things like photography but then get sidetracked.
So next time you find yourself on the other end of one of our text exchanges and you are ticking off all the reasons why you don't have time...think about those other things. Are they or will they be as fulfilling to you? See, then find a way to say yes.....and you know what will happen? nothing ! The world will find a way to go on turning without you for that hour and a half ! And to my friend the writer and everyone else like her....pull out your Google Calender or whatever you use, and like a dentist appointment, plug in a slot of time in your life in the next couple of weeks that is for your thing.
And..let me know how it goes. In the meantime i will continue to watch the news for stories that the world stopped turning for a brief period.
Be well,
~ Aloha