If you asked me what I do for a living, I’d probably say I’m a writer. I do think of myself this way, but looking at how I spent my work hours this week, it appears that I have changed careers.
Podcasting, in its various forms, consumed the biggest proportion of my work hours. Some of this is writing (I write scripts for Before Breakfast — definitely the most time-consuming part of the whole process). Also, we were a bit Best of Both Worlds heavy this week because we recorded three guest episodes yesterday. This involves the same interviewing skills I’ve used to gather material for writing, it’s just now people listen to the interviews instead of reading them. Nonetheless, it’s interesting to think that I’m spending much of my work time on something I didn’t really have on my radar screen to do 2-3 years ago.
Some good news: Before Breakfast crossed 1 million downloads this week. Thank you to everyone who’s given it a listen! I’m getting emails from people saying they’ve built the podcast into their morning routines, which was my goal.
As for my own morning routine, I figured out a tweak this week that I’m excited about. About 6-7 weeks ago, I began doing strength training during the 8-8:25 a.m. window before my elementary school aged kids get on the bus (I get them out the door and hang out with them on the driveway). This has been going great. I generally think of my work day as starting when I come back inside at 8:35. I’d been talking about doing more “free writing” (sort of the Morning Pages concept from The Artist’s Way) and as I revise my NaNoWriMo novel, I know I’m going to need to hash some ideas out. So I’ve decided to make 8:35-9:00 a.m. my free writing time. I’m currently focused on the novel, but I can write about whatever. It’s just not writing that should be immediately published. I can then begin my normal, responsible, business duties at 9 a.m. I think this will be a great spot in my schedule, at least until summer starts, so I think it has a good chance of sticking.
I’m still figuring out the best way to deal with email (including my four inboxes). I’m currently doing a big clean out every 3 days or so. When I sit down and hack through (as I just did before posting this) I can get through a 3-day chunk in about 90 minutes. A side note: I am not a big fan of the auto-responders some people are putting on their inboxes telling people they’re only checking every few days (or once a day or whatever) and then giving a little lesson about why this is the right thing to do. This is especially annoying if I’m responding to an email the person sent! Just respond when you’re going to respond. Or don’t! I don’t want auto-responders cluttering up my inbox!
This should be a fairly chill weekend. We have one fundraising gala, the usual amount of spring sports, a playdate, church and possibly a Cub Scout hike. I’ll be camping with the Cub Scouts the next weekend…here’s hoping for better weather than the last time I attempted this (38 degrees and rainy…we wound up bailing and driving home once the tent started taking on water!)
I would love to know whether you enjoy podcast recording as much as just writing. It seems like a great natural progression, from us reading your work aloud in our heads, to having you read it aloud to us! I really look forward to each new episode coming out.
Also, I do like the sound of your new morning routine. I have similar ideas sometimes but the Obliger in me struggles to put them into action – it’s just so nice to stay in bed a little bit longer! I might revisit Gretchen Ruben’s “Better” app and find some morning routine accountability!
PS I am with you on the auto-email replies. My husband has one set up on his one and only work & home email account, so every query I send him I get an automated “I only check my emails once a day between 3 and 5 pm” message, which drives me crazy!
That sounds super annoying. If he checks frequently he doesn’t need an auto-reply thing anyway.
The Obliger tendency would suggest you are staying in bed to make someone else happy :). If that’s not the case … need to look for other reasons! (Sorry total 4 tendencies nerd here 😂)
Although on further thought I get what you are saying that it’s hard to get yourself to do things that are just for you 🙂 agree accountability may be the answer!!
Kudos on your decision to build Morning Pages (a la Julia Cameron) into your day. I’ve been doing it for years and I find that—just like she writes–I dip into a well (of words, emotions, associations) I didn’t even know existed inside myself. And it feeds my writing, in general.