Lack of Focus
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What do you do when you can't focus? (I feel like I need to borrow Holly's OLW for a little bit.) Life is busy. I'm teaching amazing sixth graders...an extra class of them because we are overcrowded this year. I am teaching two graduate courses. I help facilitate the county wide twitter chat. I provide the cards for the card ministry at my church. I greet at church. I am on the steering committee for Run Me Home, which is an amazing race to support foster care in my county. I write for (and with) my students. I blog every week for these link ups: Slice of Life, Spiritual Journey, Celebration Saturday...and on really good weeks, Digital Literacy Sunday and Poetry Fridays. I'm also writing a novel in verse and planning a memoir piece of writing.
I am certainly FLYing, but I'm finding that I'm struggling with focus. This morning gifted me with a snow day! Ahhhh! One of my tasks today is to figure out my focus. I can't keep up with everything! I want to blog and comment, but I find I'm falling behind and I'm feeling so guilty about that!
Everything in my life is here because I want it to be here. I want to write. I want to tweet. I want to blog and teach! These are all good things...but I need to focus on where I need to be and what I need to do. Blogging five times a week AND blogging with my students AND doing other writing is leaving me frustrated and guilt-ridden! UGH!! That's not ok.
I stress out when I see others blogging every day of the week and I can't imagine how I could do that! Yesterday, the amazing author Gae Polisner posted a reminder on Facebook, "Comparison is the thief of joy!" And I decided that I needed to do something.
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Today, I will make some changes. I really want to write something...a book something! I may be less present here on my blog. I love the community that's built up here and I don't want to lose it, but I need to focus! Any tips you have to focus your time are welcome...
What do you do when you can't focus? (I feel like I need to borrow Holly's OLW for a little bit.) Life is busy. I'm teaching amazing sixth graders...an extra class of them because we are overcrowded this year. I am teaching two graduate courses. I help facilitate the county wide twitter chat. I provide the cards for the card ministry at my church. I greet at church. I am on the steering committee for Run Me Home, which is an amazing race to support foster care in my county. I write for (and with) my students. I blog every week for these link ups: Slice of Life, Spiritual Journey, Celebration Saturday...and on really good weeks, Digital Literacy Sunday and Poetry Fridays. I'm also writing a novel in verse and planning a memoir piece of writing.
I am certainly FLYing, but I'm finding that I'm struggling with focus. This morning gifted me with a snow day! Ahhhh! One of my tasks today is to figure out my focus. I can't keep up with everything! I want to blog and comment, but I find I'm falling behind and I'm feeling so guilty about that!
Everything in my life is here because I want it to be here. I want to write. I want to tweet. I want to blog and teach! These are all good things...but I need to focus on where I need to be and what I need to do. Blogging five times a week AND blogging with my students AND doing other writing is leaving me frustrated and guilt-ridden! UGH!! That's not ok.
I stress out when I see others blogging every day of the week and I can't imagine how I could do that! Yesterday, the amazing author Gae Polisner posted a reminder on Facebook, "Comparison is the thief of joy!" And I decided that I needed to do something.
Today, I will make some changes. I really want to write something...a book something! I may be less present here on my blog. I love the community that's built up here and I don't want to lose it, but I need to focus! Any tips you have to focus your time are welcome...
I JUST saw the quote "Comparison is the thief of joy" last week. I wrote it down. Very astute, Teddy Roosevelt. Hopefully you can keep it in mind and do things at your own pace.
ReplyDeleteYou are one busy person! There comes a time when we have to say enough is enough. That is how my OLW came about - it is my turn! Some how what is really important to us seems to bubble to the top. I think you might be surprised how it all turns out when you focus on what is really important to you. Good luck and enjoy your snow day - we have one too!
ReplyDeleteSince focus is my OLW, I've been thinking about it, too, Michelle. I've found that my enthusiasm for this or that gets me to a place where I have way too much going on to focus on anything. Panic sets in. It's hard to find the right balance, and sometimes it's okay to just step back. Love that quote!
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to find balance when there are so many things we care about and are involved in. It can get overwhelming at times. When this happen to me, I take a step back, sit down with a cup of coffee, and prioritize. This usually helps me refocus and have a more productive day.
ReplyDeleteYou are the only one who can decide what you really, really want to focus on. Sounds like a book is on your mind. Write and don't worry about the blog or the community, you are not going to lose it. The best way to focus time is to let go of something.
ReplyDeleteI am in awe of all the writing you are doing…very impressive. I started to compare myself to this - and then, thank goodness, you supplied the perfect quote ;-) I hope you have had much joy on this snow day!!
ReplyDeleteAh, Michelle, you probably have just described all of us, at least at one time or another. I guess I still just take it one step after one step. And at the end of the day, I say 'enough', start again tomorrow. If you want to do more writing, go for it. We'll greet you when you show up & be happy about that. Best wishes...
ReplyDeleteWhen I get like this, I have to re-evaluate. A friend once told me I had an artist's mind and that was why I was doing so much. Of course, I want to have an artist's mind. I want to write and create, but life gets in the way. Sometimes I find myself checking my Twitter feed when I really should be talking to my daughter or husband or mother. Take a deep breath and make a list. Check it off. You don't have to accomplish all your dreams in one day.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for recognizing these limitations, Michelle. That's the thing about FLYing...Sometimes, it's more about the soaring and resting in flight than it is about flapping our wings. This helps us see what we need to do next and what really matters :) You will figure it out, friend!
ReplyDeleteJennifer
Oh my...I can relate to this whole post - everything!! I wish I had more tips since FOCUS is my OLW, but I don't. That's why I chose it - to figure it out. Ha. It's okay if you need to pull back from your blog. I'm wondering about that, too. Participating in memes and link ups is wonderful because of the communities they create, but they can also be limiting in a way. If you need to write a book, write it! We'll still be here when you come back, and we'll also read whatever book you end up writing, believe me!!
ReplyDeleteMichelle,
ReplyDeleteYou are doing amazing things and your energy is FLYing off all over the place. I am so prone to this kind of work. I seek out the excitement which often leads to loose ends and crazy making behavior to tie everything up in the end. You are doing the right thing. Realizing you need to focus to lessen the crazy and get to what matters to you. Deep breaths. We're here. No worries.
Oh, I totally get you. Sometimes focus is a challenge. I love the quote, so true.
ReplyDelete