How reflecting on a sluggish January revealed hidden energy.
Holy mackerel it’s the end of the month already.
January just slipped through my fingers.
I’m feeling a strange combination of remnants of the new year’s start, a bit of cabin fever from wintry weather and feeling scattered, like I still need to get organized even though I sit at my desk every day.
I have a 2024 business plan, thank you very much, but somehow that tidy spreadsheet hasn’t quite measured up to give me oomph.
So, here I go on a quest to get my worker-bee mojo back.
I Remember a Successful 100 Day Project
I once had a CEO who said that he loved it when people had too much to do on their desk because it forced them to prioritize.
(Of course, this statement is meaningless if junior micromanagers value quantity over quality.)
In this spirit, I remember in 2017 when I wanted to explore being a writer but just couldn’t seem to wedge it into my jammed-packed days. My niece mentioned The 100 Day Project. There’s a number of versions online. I didn’t want to join one more thing, but I could embrace the idea of committing to an activity every day for one hundred consecutive days.
My goal: Write for 30 minutes/day for 100 days in a row. I created simple guidelines: Set an alarm on my phone. Write for 30 minutes. Take a selfie and post on IG to hold myself accountable. It worked! In fact, I have a video that celebrates it.
Click here to see the video of my 100 Day Project
Crazy to think about it now since I park myself at my computer for hours to write these days.
Remembering this past success is making me feel better. Like I’m getting closer to clearing chaos if I can choose one thing above all else to dedicate myself to every day.
But first…
Mine the Brain Dump
A characteristic of being a creative, engaged, curious person is that your thoughts can overflow with ideas and wishes and observations. All the time. You may have a journal and scribble a lot of this down. Or be a list maker. Or jot quick thoughts onto post-it notes. (I do all three.)
But, for me, too many random notes and lists feed the feeling of being unsettled. I’m on the cusp now of starting the phase of book production and marketing. This fall I knew had lots of good advice on what to do next but no easy way to put my hands on it.
So, early in January I gathered up all the book marketing advice I’ve collected from talks and articles and conversations these past several years while I was writing and querying my book.
It took me two weeks to grab the links, re-listen to webinars, and hunt down old journal notes. I dumped it all into a 15-page document. Then mid-month, I ran it by two author friends and my sister, who painstakingly, patiently offered observations and context. My sister told me, “Add scope and sequence” and “What’s your 80/20 rule here” (what strategies will take 20% of my effort to yield 80% of the results)?
Following this advice, the 15-page document is now 22 pages - lol! The file name is Marketing Brain Dump, but now I can Search and Find info. More of a reference doc versus an action plan.
Here’s the fun part. By re-reading and gathering up the information, thoughts synthesized. Ideas popped out I can explore now. For example, the post I did about my protag’s marketing genius, which in turn gives me the idea to explore whether the book could be relevant to business and marketing groups, especially women’s.
In hindsight, January’s agitation acted as kind of a farm combine, sorting chaff from the wheat. One thing I know for sure. Though the organizing was tedious, I’m done now. I know where the info is.
If I hadn’t forced myself to complete it, that undercurrent of nerves would still be holding a party in my gut.
Set an Intention to be Distraction-free One Day a Week
Writing this last section, I feel inspired. I’ve just grabbed my iPhone and tapped MEETING FREE DAY for Wednesdays, and set it to repeat every week.
I know it’s just an intention. I still need to do it. But I believe the constant interruption of iPhone notifications and Zoom meetups and simply life admin also contributed to my feeling scattered in January.
I’m going to try a little concentrated, uninterrupted focus as author Cal Newport writes in his book Deep Work.
Energized!
Do you know, I actually feel more energized right now. This process of finding value in January and now setting an intention just made a difference. I want to carefully select my own 100 Day Project, so won’t prematurely announce it here. Help me out with some of inspiration?
What one thing might you focus on in 2024?
Warmly,
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