One thing I’ve learned since moving to California not quite two years ago is the importance of shifting gears smoothly, rather than merely quickly. And although traffic in Southern California is two b!tches, I’m not talking about my SmartCar’s wonky (but adorable) transmission.
When I lived overseas, I often had hours to work on a single project—writing or otherwise. Moving back to the States changed all that. I now drive Smarty Boy to school, baseball is much busier, I volunteer more at the school and life just generally moves at a faster pace. I fight it all I can, but the reality is my normal day is filled with multiple projects and priorities, from the school’s silent auction to blog posts to character development to cooking dinner and more.
It hit me a few months ago that I wasn’t shifting gears particularly well. I was angry and resentful when I had to put down one project to give attention to another. I also quickly realized this state of affairs wasn’t going to change any time soon, if ever. You know that sound your car makes when you try to go from second gear to third without pushing in the clutch all the way? That was the sound my life was making.
So I began to use neutral more often, purposefully leaving myself out of gear in between work spurts. Sometimes that means getting up from my desk after 30 minutes of writing to stretch and fold a load of laundry. It means taking Bad Dog for a walk and actually enjoying the scenery. It means taking a shower at two o’clock in the afternoon and allowing my mind to meander around in my latest plot issue.
Should all these idle times be considered “work?” I don’t know, but I assure you it’s made my in-gear times much, much more productive.
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Today is National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day. This is a perfect holiday for me because I celebrate it almost every day! As I mentioned above, I shower later in the day, using it as a mind and body break. So regardless of where you work, you might consider celebrating in your PJs today!
