Are you ready? I’m so excited. Here, in the blogosphere, consistency even around coming up with fresh AND interesting content is likely the HARDEST thing to do. So, I’m so proud of myself as I have taken the time to put together my VERY first mini course for you. Do you want to write? Do you want to tackle a large and life changing project? Well, this is for you. I’m doing this course for those that want to WRITE, BUT please know that the same principles apply to ANY project you want to start. WHEREVER you see WRITING, know that you can insert the name for the type of project YOU want to complete. E.g. If you want to make a career change, learn a new skill, start a new hobby or side hustle, business or whatever IT is, you can do it, you really just need a plan and a map of some sort to start.
I’ve been in your shoes and at one time had the exact same desire to make a shift that you have. Make note, I’m not totally in the place I want to be with my writing BUT I’m getting closer and closer and following the plan. What’s cool is that the shift is still “in progress” and I took some time to observe my process and chronicle it here for you. For YOU to do this, you will need to shift and change, not only your mindset but your habits and routines and let go just as I had to make a VERY conscious-and sometimes very difficult- effort to put some things aside to get more writing done, make more time for something that I SAY I want but in truth, looking at habits and routine in ALL my schedules and calendar notes was not written there. Also, it’s about examining if that’s really even it. Are you sure? How do you know? Well, how about this: A “Say” without A “Way” is not SO (= say does NOT make it happen), here’s the WAY.
Ready? Let’s GO!
First, here’s some ground Rules for the Mini Course:
First things first
1. Read the Blog Post that I’ve prepared for each Lesson (five total)
2. Reflect on what you read – really think and take the time, don’t just skim through it.
3. Complete the Exercise
4. Repeat each week
WEEK ONE: AERIAL SNAPSHOT
Click here for the Worksheet for Week One
Drones are so prevalent nowadays, we all want one because we’re eager to rise above to a level higher than the tallest building in the world and see things from a place of elevation. Know what else, elevation also omits the small detractors we don’t want to see, like clutter, litter, waste and small things that you cannot see when you’re in the midst of it.
What does that mean? When you are so close to something, you can be stuck. Your vision is limited and how can you possibly dream about the possibilities? With that, guess what? We are so fortunate, because we have (thank God) OUR imagination, and that is a wonderful tool. Get quiet, in your mind, think about your day to day operations from a higher, elevated standpoint. Pretend rather than being in the kitchen, you are in the car on the curb and you are looking in from afar. Go way up and way out – if a drone were following ONLY you, where would it be going, what would it see?
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Take an aerial snapshot of your actual day. NOT what you want it to be (we’ll get to that) but what it IS right now? Use the WORKSHEET to write every single thing that you do in a general way to get done for yourself, your family. You can be somewhat general but still make sure you include it all, especially things like with TV time, idol time, chit chat, work, errands and any extra meetings you have to attend. Put it in there, don’t skimp out.
If your schedule is pretty redundant, one day will be enough but if it varies from one day to the next, write down at least ALL the tasks from 2-3 FULL days.
Before I started to shift – mine might be
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7:00 a.m. wake up, breakfast, dressed
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check e-mail, phone, newsfeed
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drive to work
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9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. JOB full time employment (includes running around meetings outside of work, driving to clients homes/community offices – check e-mail, phone calls, any appointments, etc.)
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drive home
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do some more work-related things AT home
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make dinner, clean up
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television on throughout evening meeting prep (read for meeting, make calls send out meeting agenda for a meeting later in the week; prep for teaching)
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drive to evening meeting or teaching
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7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. evening meeting or teaching
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drive home
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decompress – look at schedule for following day, outfit ready
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get ready for bed
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10:30/11:00 p.m. sleep
Where is the time going?!
I want more time to write. I had these evening meeting obligations. I was always getting ready for a meeting, coming out of a meeting or writing agendas and reports for another meeting. That is the single most thing that drove me crazy. Meetings take a lo to of time BUT even the prep seems forever.
As you review your schedule hopefully some things will become clearer. This schedule is VERY general. I don’t have children so that will add in lots more chunks of your time. BUT put those in there too. To be real and to list EVERYTHING is the only way this is going to work.
2. Reflect on the schedule, write some thoughts about the following:
What’s working and what’s NOT? What do you dislike about the current arrangement?
What do you wish (regardless if its possible) write out what you wish could happen?
What would make things easier for you?
What would you cut if no one, (including yourself) cared or was impacted by your action?
EVALUATE Your Schedule with some thoughts/notes. Here’s mine:
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7:00 a.m. wake up, dressed (I don’t make lunch, I hate making lunch)- at least some of the time I could take something easy like a prepackaged salad, fruit, nuts to save time
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drive to work
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9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. JOB full time employment (includes running around meetings outside of work, driving to clients homes/community offices) – (could write at least 400 words on lunch break by sending e-mail to myself or using app on phone, go record outside during warmer months)
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drive home
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do some more work-related things AT home home(STOP bringing work home) -
make dinner, clean up
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television on throughout evening meeting prep (read for meeting, make calls send out meeting agenda for a meeting later in the week) – (need to turn off television, stop preparing for so many meetings)
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drive to evening meeting for that day (starting to loathe some of the evening and WEEKEND meetings – I want out of some things but I feel obligated, right? Who might be disappointed (including me) if I let it go? What might that mean? Can I handle feelings of guilt?)- Evaluate IF these meetings are still important? Set a limit. When your term is up, run. Why do we reup ourselves for things? What will happen if they have to find someone else? You know what will happen, they likely will find someone else. How does the thought of that make you feel?
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7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. evening meeting
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drive home (radio -at least all the time- is silliness, I LOVE music but some of the time could be spent listening to podcasts and workshops about writing craft (or whatever you need to learn about your project) and marketing & promotion)
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decompress – get ready for bed (night time is peak WRITING time, need to be writing – should at minimum create a word output goal and see if I can make it a game/weekly challenge)
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Writing and marketing work/promoting current books – on Canva, making graphics and promoting, setting up posts in Hootsuite, etc. – (could spend more time setting up posts for the entire week)
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10:30 p.m. sleep (often an insomniac – (need some kind of talk to text app on phone DRAGON to write during bouts of insomnia )
Some Additional Thoughts and Ideas:
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Really think about your schedule.
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Be certain you’re laying it all out. Watch out for missing pockets of time that you don’t write out (think of then like hidden calories, very negative effects when not counted). This is for YOUR eyes ONLY. Who else will see this unless you want them to?
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In the coming weeks, you will NOT be getting rid of anything you don’t want to. This is all about a closer look, consideration and examination, your attitudes toward what you’re doing and possible shifts to consider and for you to uncover things like, “Oh, I didn’t realize I was doing that.” We get bogged down in doing everything and when we really look, revelation is only usually through taking time and the opportunity to examine motives and what’s really happening.
This concludes Week One. See you next week with your next assignment.
Don’t forget IF you complete this, share with me via e-mail, tag me, or post a tweet.
