TAKE A BREAK FROM YOUR WORK

If you’ve read the last blog, and done what’s suggested you may be happily breezing along towards your goal. If so, that’s great.

Too often, however, once a goal is set and the work begins,

a dogged adherence ensues. And also what follows are feelings of tiredness, irritability, and frustration, to name a few. Also, too often other important activities fall to the wayside. Things like socializing and doing other fun activities whether alone or with others.

Setting a reasonable goal means building time into your schedule for life outside of the work. All work and no play leads to a lessening of creativity. Lots of research supports this. And creativity is inherent in all activities, not just the typically considered artistic activities. Creativity in the work comes because of the interplay between work and play.

So, no point putting your nose to the grindstone once you’ve begun to get unstuck. Doing so is one way to get yourself stuck again.

Hopefully, you have your own personal list of things that give you pleasure readily available. But, if you’re struggling to think of what you find fun don’t take for granted that there are things you probably do and don’t consider them as fun. Things like taking a walk, or walking your dog, or listening to the radio (does anyone even listen to real radio anymore or is it all internet now?), or having coffee, tea, etc. with a friend, playing with your child, browsing while you’re shopping. Any of these kinds of activities can allow you to take a mental break. And that’s what infuses creativity into the work.

How often? You need to trust your rhythm. If you’re feeling like you’re working too hard, or there’s a build up of negative feelings, then the rhythm isn’t quite right yet. Keep “working” at finding your rhythm. You’ll know when it’s there because you’ll experience flow while you’re working.

More on flow to follow.