I am addicted to productivity.
There. I admitted it. I’m either making a list of things I need to accomplish. Actually doing things I need to accomplish. Checking off things I’ve accomplished…or feeling guilty over not doing the very things I should accomplish. 😊
My therapist told me I needed to work on letting go of all this. Anyone else there with me?
So when I planned my writing retreat for this month, I though it would be just like all the other writing retreats I’ve been on. The goal has always been to get as many words as humanly possible during the period of time while I’m gone. After all, how else can I justify spending that time away from my family and using my precious PTO from the day job?
But that’s not how it actually worked out this time. I did get writing done…but this time I actually spent time doing, well, nothing. And I’m not a nothing kind of girl!!! But my brain simply wouldn’t focus on the story. Or at least, not the writing of it. I did some planning. I did some plotting. But none of it was measured by productivity.
And that was a little weird, to be honest. Usually my brain is going 90 to nothing. So I found this disconcerting but possibly a step in the right direction. A chance to let my brain work out whatever it needed to. And it helped me come home with a better perspective on some things. A determination to enjoy the small things (which isn’t easy for me, but I’m trying). I guess all of that quiet, thinking time just reinforced some of the things I’ve been trying to come to grips with over the last few months.
I’ve been pretty open about my struggles with mental health this year, hoping that others will realize they aren’t alone and we can all help each other. How do you help quiet your mind? What’s your favorite fun thing that gets your brain off the hamster wheel?
Take care,
Dani
Don't forget to check out my Secrets of Covington Corner series! HAUNTED HERITAGE is out this month!
Amazon
B&N
Kobo
Apple books
Goodreads--Add To Your TBR List!
But that’s not how it actually worked out this time. I did get writing done…but this time I actually spent time doing, well, nothing. And I’m not a nothing kind of girl!!! But my brain simply wouldn’t focus on the story. Or at least, not the writing of it. I did some planning. I did some plotting. But none of it was measured by productivity.
And that was a little weird, to be honest. Usually my brain is going 90 to nothing. So I found this disconcerting but possibly a step in the right direction. A chance to let my brain work out whatever it needed to. And it helped me come home with a better perspective on some things. A determination to enjoy the small things (which isn’t easy for me, but I’m trying). I guess all of that quiet, thinking time just reinforced some of the things I’ve been trying to come to grips with over the last few months.
I’ve been pretty open about my struggles with mental health this year, hoping that others will realize they aren’t alone and we can all help each other. How do you help quiet your mind? What’s your favorite fun thing that gets your brain off the hamster wheel?
Take care,
Dani
Don't forget to check out my Secrets of Covington Corner series! HAUNTED HERITAGE is out this month!
Amazon
B&N
Kobo
Apple books
Goodreads--Add To Your TBR List!
In keeping with this month’s inadvertent theme (how’d that happen?), my sister and I went on a mini-writers’ retreat to have some space and quiet to focus with our writing. For me, to reconnect with my creativity in general.
Things have been crazy lately (translation: chaos) and I don’t know about normal people, but for me that usually translates into SLOW writing—like pouring molasses slow. We both needed to get away, and a state park within reasonable driving distance was a quiet and economical solution.
[caption id="attachment_164" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Our Cabin[/caption]
The nature, quiet, and lack of pressure worked wonders! I used to feel very selfish taking time away like that (ok, so I still do sometimes), but I’ve learned that I just work better with quiet and solitude. Of course, that doesn’t actually mean no people at all—I often write in restaurants and coffee shops—but the general public isn’t stopping me every 15 minutes to ask for a snack or can they play on the Xbox.
[caption id="attachment_163" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
L-Dani Wade, R-Ella Sheridan[/caption]
But I digress. Even though I can work with munchkin interruptions, it often stalls momentum. On our retreat, I could chug a little faster with each writing session. We also went on a walk on the trail near our cabin while we brainstormed on Saturday morning (great ideas!). The drive was good for that too.
I came home refreshed and energized about my stories, ready to tackle revisions on my contracted book. Retreats can be used for all kinds of things—scrapbooking, quilting, crafting, sleeping. My local RWA chapter goes on an annual retreat that involves lots of plotting, talking, singing, booze, but not as much actual writing as you’d think. But its still rejuvenating, emotionally and creatively.
[caption id="attachment_165" align="aligncenter" width="225"]
Nearby Waterfall[/caption]
So go forth and rejuvenate! Seriously, if you could retreat anywhere, where would it be?
Dani
Our Cabin[/caption]
The nature, quiet, and lack of pressure worked wonders! I used to feel very selfish taking time away like that (ok, so I still do sometimes), but I’ve learned that I just work better with quiet and solitude. Of course, that doesn’t actually mean no people at all—I often write in restaurants and coffee shops—but the general public isn’t stopping me every 15 minutes to ask for a snack or can they play on the Xbox.
[caption id="attachment_163" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
L-Dani Wade, R-Ella Sheridan[/caption]
But I digress. Even though I can work with munchkin interruptions, it often stalls momentum. On our retreat, I could chug a little faster with each writing session. We also went on a walk on the trail near our cabin while we brainstormed on Saturday morning (great ideas!). The drive was good for that too.
I came home refreshed and energized about my stories, ready to tackle revisions on my contracted book. Retreats can be used for all kinds of things—scrapbooking, quilting, crafting, sleeping. My local RWA chapter goes on an annual retreat that involves lots of plotting, talking, singing, booze, but not as much actual writing as you’d think. But its still rejuvenating, emotionally and creatively.
[caption id="attachment_165" align="aligncenter" width="225"]
Nearby Waterfall[/caption]
So go forth and rejuvenate! Seriously, if you could retreat anywhere, where would it be?
Dani