Trying to get back into the groove of things after an atypical month. A week or so after the last update, and just as I was hoping to jump into a fun mini project, I got a nasty headcold that took me out just as we were about to go on vacation. Luckily, the focus on rest meant I was able to go on our trip without too much pain but it definitely derailed my plans a bit and I feel a bit guilty about that.
Now that we are back and “rested” after some really wonderful time away, I’m trying to catch up and seeing more clearly just how continually we are being bombarded by everyone vying for our attention. Newsletters, podcasts, social media. They all want your eyeballs so they can make money. And it’s just so easy for us to devalue our own time and attention and give it away just to be entertained or “educated” at and get stuck on the consuming threadmill.
Reminds me of a lot of what Bo Burnham has talked about:
What I’ve shipped since last month:
Haven’t shipped much. Got my projects to a good place to be able to go on vacation, got sick and then went on vacation. Now trying to get back into the groove of building and getting momentum back.
What went poorly:
Focus: I’ve let the internet get the better of me this month. While I got the work done that I needed to, I’ve been very much getting sucked into daydreams and side quests that I shouldn’t be humoring at all. This happens sometimes when I get a ton of todos finished and the remaining ones are difficult and I just end up procrastinating. Time to regroup and get back to removing the mental energy needed to take the next few steps.
Productivity: I definitely didn’t get the things done that I wanted to this month. While I applaud myself for ruthlessly prioritizing rest and family, I definitely indulged a bit too much when it came to consuming social media or tv (and sugar too). While it was nice in the moment, it’s something that I’m ultimately not super happy about as it’s not really helping serve me/my family for the long term.
What went well:
Rest: Despite getting sick (an inevitability with a 2.5 yo), this past month was a really nice opportunity to take some time away after having worked so hard. I know it was the right amount of time, as I’m really excited to get back into the groove of things.
Family: Roadtripping and having some time away as a family and with friends was wonderful. I’m really glad we did the trip and would love to do it again in the future. It’s one of those that I’m sure we will look back on and remember fondly. Especially as the boy gets bigger and doesn’t want to hang out with his parents as much. So I’m really trying to take it in and enjoy it as much as I can.
Asks:
What’s your favorite way to regroup and get back into a good grove? I recently came across this video and considering going through it as an exercise, but would love to hear what’s worked for you.