Code Name: Succulent – Time Outs & Routines

When was the last time you gave
yourself a time out? I don’t mean a scheduled fun time or activity,
but when you were in the middle of something and just forced yourself
to put it down and walk away for a few minutes. Or hours, depending
on how late at night it was.

I’ve been doing this more lately. If
I’m writing, or working on something and I’m not getting anywhere
because I’m tired or distracted or whatever, I’ll force myself to
stop and walk away for at least a few minutes. Odds are that when I
come back to the project even after a five to ten minute break, I’ll
see it with fresh eyes and be able to move forward.

Honestly, sometimes I think it’s just
getting up and moving around that helps the most. I sit a lot for
both of my jobs, and getting the blood moving faster again is good
for the brain, methinks.

The trick, of course, is getting back
to work after the time out is up. If I take a break in the middle of
a project, that does not mean I check twitter or play a game of
solitaire. It means I get up, move away from the computer, and go get
a drink, look out the window or whatever. I don’t try to do some
other task that could end up distracting me…that would be
counter-productive.

I’ve also realized that some of the
routines I’ve used in the past aren’t working for me anymore,
because my own natural rhythms have changed. This isn’t a bad thing
– it’s bound to happen since we’re constantly changing
throughout our lives (or I hope we are!). But it does need to be
addressed, because if I keep trying to use routines that don’t
work, it just makes me less efficient and more frustrated. So I’m
in the process of revamping the way I do some things to be a better
fit for my own life.

To that end, and because people keep
asking how I manage to do so much stuff, I’ve created a new blog
where I’ll be sharing my process for creating routines and
organizing life around our natural inclinations. If you’re
interested, feel free to join me at Routinely Yours, for a new post
every Saturday.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to
go water my succulents…


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2 comments on “Code Name: Succulent – Time Outs & Routines

  1. Dolly

    Cool! I’m looking forward to this blog – mainly because as my husband calls me, I am a “sad case” who finds thinking/planning about routines, schedules, lists fun.

    Ever since I started focusing on smaller goals at a time, I’ve been far more productive, and I’ve been able to stay on course. Except with fitness – which is whole another issue.

  2. Ardee-ann Eichelmann

    I love this post. I use “stuck” time to wash dishes, clean the sink, clean the stove, not in one break mind you but at different times so that I have time to stop, think and do something different. My mind is more clear and focused after I engage in some task. Sometimes it is as simple as making tea. A break enhances productivity IMHO.

    Ardee-ann