Thursday, April 11, 2019

Working For The Clampdown



By David Nemeth

For the last four months, work has been kicking my ass instead of the other way around. Don't get me wrong, I'm killing it from 9 to 5, but in reality, it's more 7 to 6. The hours aren't the problem, shit, anyone can do the time, no, the issue the work is sapping any sense of creativity or brain-drive, for lack of a better word. On the plus side, obviously, work is engaging and I'm paying for my mortgage, so I got that going for me. On the negative side, reading and writing have taken a back seat.

I'm ain't looking for sympathy, we've all got it hard and some of you probably have it harder than me. I figure that this is a phase and even if it continues, my body and brain will adjust soon enough so that the freedom of my off-hours will return. In the meantime, since this is the internet and y'all got opinions, you got any thoughts on a way forward for me?

4 comments:

Thomas Pluck said...

Physical activity. Hit the gym once or twice a week or just go for a walk, no phone. It'll clear your head. Best of luck.

Elgin Bleecker said...

Hang in there, man. Hope those hours are not the new normal.

Scott D. Parker said...

Wake up early and write before the day job. Set a time in which you have time to wake, pee, get coffee, exercise at least 5 minutes (jumping jacks, run in place, lift dumbbells, all with a timer), and then have time to write. It's worked for me pretty well. 4:30am is my wake up time, but I adjust it depending on how late I stay up.

Oh, here's a new thing I've started on workdays since the first Monday of February: no snooze. If you have to adjust, adjust. But don't snooze.

If you get a lunch break, take that time to write. Or read. Or basically not to the day job. Helps me every day.

Derek Farrell said...

I'm so glad I'm not the only one.
My day job is odd - lots of what looks like inactivity but is really setting up for deals or projects, and then the whirlwind hits and it's insane.
But I'm finding lately that I could be properly busy 8 hours a day with writing. If only it paid like the day job :-)