Staying Focused in the Summertime
Let the games begin!
What is it about summer that makes us lose our minds and abandon all sense of normalcy? Work becomes... ugh, work, and we will try to do anything in our power to avoid it. I think it goes back to when we were kids. We couldn't wait for school to end and those ten glorious weeks of fun to begin. We were free to do whatever we wanted, even if that meant nothing at all. And as we grew into adulthood, we continued to try to hold onto the innocence of a time when it was perfectly okay to just kick back and enjoy ourselves without a care in the world. Some of us take extravagant vacations while others merely steal away an extra day or two for an extended beach weekend. But all of us at some point during the summer months try to slow down, even if it's just a little bit, and enjoy some of what this time of year has to offer. Summer fun has officially reached the Carolinas. For me, it's going to be a fun and somewhat busy season - Going to baseball games (MLB & MiLB), watching (or at least staying up to date on) three of the four world class grand slam tennis tournaments (French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open), A trip to the beach (Charleston, SC) in late June, cooking out by the pool almost nightly, two trips up to NY (one in July for the Baseball HOF induction ceremony, the other in late August to visit family), and the grandkids (as well as friends and some of the neighbors) taking over my backyard pool all summer long. There are a multitude of reasons to help me lose focus on my writing during this time of year.
But I have a book being released in September. September 18th to be exact. So, somehow, I need to keep my writing schedule intact during all the summertime commotion buzzing around me. And just how am I going to accomplish that? Mainly I'm going to pivot. Actually, I've already started to pivot in preparation for what's to come over the next three months.My writing schedule has been pretty consistent over the winter and spring. I am at my desk by nine in the morning, lunch at one o'clock, take care of any errands I need to run, back at the desk by three-thirty, finish up at six-thirty. That gives me seven hours of uninterrupted writing time each day. Since I'm still working a part time job a couple days a week, I adhere to this schedule four days out of seven, with Sundays off. If I'm on a roll during a writing day, I might grab an hour or two in the evening after dinner... sometimes.
With the extracurricular activities the summer brings, I have moved my writing start time to seven in the morning and then working straight through until two o'clock. Same seven hours of time each day but freeing me up earlier in the afternoons and evenings for any grandkid activities, any ballgames, or, if the mood strikes, having a cocktail or two by the pool.
During the first two weeks of July, and in August, I will pivot again to stay focused and on schedule while preparing for the aforementioned trips.
But as they say, the best laid plans... I fully expect some bumps in the road as I travel through this summer pivoting plan. For example: our six-year-old grandson will be staying with us every other week all summer. Let me repeat that - ALL SUMMER. Ever try to concentrate on a writing project while a six-year-old tugs at your shorts wanting to play or go swimming? As a grandparent, it's hard to say no to that adorable face and those pleading eyes. So, as I pivot one way, he will have me pivoting a completely different way during the weeks he is here. All the more reason I need to stay focused on what needs to be accomplished during the weeks he's not here.I am looking forward to these next ten weeks or so, and I will learn to live by the words, a body in motion tends to stay in motion. It's the only way I will be able to make it all work. 🌞
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As always, I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog. And of course, your thoughts and comments are always welcome. 😊
