I believe they call this the zone

Hot damn.  You know how I have been on a bit of a sabbatical with my summer, trying to slowly proceed so that I can make sure that I am not just impulsively doing work just to do it (as opposed to doing what I do because I must, because to not do it is more painful than doing it).  Well, I made that declaration for the beginning of June.  And, finally, at the end of July, I am seeing the fruits of that effort.  It took a while because there were a couple unexpected trips that had to be made which meant that I had to work a wee bit more intensely then I had planned to during the time that I was home.  But, now, everything that I had committed to pre-sabbatical is in, and there is a lovely blank slate before me.  I realized that I was stepping into that clearing last week and so I thought about what I wanted to do with my days, what work I wanted to concentrate on and what work would be like my brain candy.  And then I had another little epiphany that is on par with my realization that I should never leave my house for anything in the morning unless I am prepared for the fact that I really won’t get any writing done that afternoon (other than my workout which will only get done if it’s done first thing.  Stay with me; I know I am quirky) , I realized that I should be working in blocks of time.  Before, I tried to do a little bit of all of my gigs everyday. I’d break things into 60 or 90 minute chunks and so I’d work on book stuff, article stuff, teaching stuff, non-profit stuff, and speaking engagement stuff all in the same day.  But this past Friday, I remembered this notion that I had when I decided to write full-time. I had thought that I could have designated days:  two days for magazine writing, 2 days for teaching writing and other workshops, and 1 day for volunteering- each week a routine.  But, instantly, as assignments started coming in, I let the idea of that go and everything just happened on any day.  And now, I am circling back around to that ide– wondering if I had something back then when I was thinking about compartmentalizing my days.  So, I decided to try it this week.  Monday was books/blogs day.  My to do list was filled with items that really only had to do with those two items.  And walla!– turns out I had enough time to complete two enormous book tasks that have been hanging over my head.  Item # 1:  getting a book proposal out to a publisher.  Done by 10 am.  Then # 2:  create notecards for all of my ideas for each chapter of said book then organize those notecards into a file box divided by chapter.  It took me until 4 in the afternoon (I did have a long lunch break to see a friend from college who was passing through town), but it’s a thing of beauty and it just felt so satisfying to get it done.  Tuesday was a little less productive because I had a dental cleaning in the morning (no cavities!)– clearly I scheduled that appointment 6 months ago before I made my rule of no morning meetings- but it was freelancing day, and I got a big assignment in pretty ahead of deadline and then worked on scheduling interviews and doing research for 3 other articles.  And, finally, I had the moment of extreme gratitude for moving more deliberately with my work when two offers came through in the afternoon to write essays for two different publications– a hip magazine that I love, love, love and a book project that is just so cool and in line with my values and priorities as a person (more on those when they are closer to being published, I’m sure).  I could say yes to both of them because I had made the room for them– unknowingly and yet hopefully- over the last two months.  Wednesday is a half and half day.  The morning is to be spent working on my freelance stuff and the afternoon will be spent on Circle de Luz stuff.  Thursday is a freelancing morning and a planning my body image class afternoon (ie: write lesson plans for at least 1 seminar, if not two).  Friday is back to book writing.  I plan to start work on a different book proposal and do a couple writing samples for it.  I am not certain, because it hasn’t been that long, but I sure do feel like I am entering the zone.