Great post. I love the mornings because it is quiet and I utilize my creativity then until it runs out.

The first thing I do in the morning, after I exercise, meditate, and study, is read my emails, unplug the phone, and then get to creating.

Normally, I do not turn on my tweetdeck until I am done, and I don’t check my emails again until the end of the day unless I am expecting something important, then I check it at noon.

I notice that exercise and eating nutritious foods help with my creativity because of the energy it generates.

You are very poetic with words, btw.

Elizabeth Stanfill

Elizabeth Stanfill’s last blog post..DESTRESS YOURSELF WITH AFFIRMATIONS

Randi: I’m with you, don’t get me started on the victim mentality. No me gusta and I live in California where it’s thick in the air.

Writer Dad’s last blog post..Mia on the Mic

And don’t get me started on the “Woe is me”/victim mentality

Marc’s last blog post..Giving Appreciation and Honor To Entrepreneurs

Sean– I loved this: “The point is, you really want to use your minutes unless you want your minutes to use you.” I am fond of saying something similar: “If you don’t control life, life will control you, and if something else is in control, that makes you the victim.” But, the victim mentality is another pet peeve topic altogether.

Randi’s last blog post..His Dentist Would be Proud

“As my plate grew fuller, my need for focus expanded,”

This line struck me as important, Sean. Sounds like you successfully stopped everything merging under the big headings’ blogging’ or ‘writing’. Writing comments isn’t the same as answering them; answering emails isn’t the same as twittering. Writing guest posts isn’t the same as writing your own creative stuff. If we can analyse all the things we do and why we do them, then we can figure out when we’re in the best mood to do each activity.

For me, the most crucial thing in life is to analyse what our roles and values are, what matters MOST, before we focus on what the goals are. It’s a bit like having a ‘To Be’ list as well as a ‘to do’ list. That way, it makes it so much easier to avoid overwhelm and to find the best rhythm and time for everything.

I have daily, weekly and long term goals for all of my roles, not just roles I’ve given myself like ‘writer’ or ‘coach’. I have goals for my role as a mum, a daughter, a wife, a friend, a homemaker etc and I honour all of them. If those goals don’t get written down and respected, it’s so easy to convince ourselves that career comes first.

In the Bigger Picture, there are rhythms too. My dad’s in his eighties and needs me more now than ever. Kids grow up and leave home so it makes sense to enjoy them as much as practicality allows when they’re young. In the winter, I enjoy being inside writing at a computer more than I do in the summer.

Thanks, Sean – enjoyed the post and the comments!

Lori: It’s hard to do better than Gershwin. Thanks for that, and the quote earlier. You are feeding my brain in all kinds of ways, Lori. Thanks.

Marc: Scheduling has an exponential effect on my productivity. I find it difficult to believe it wouldn’t work for others as well. You’re absolutely right. No one gets more minutes of daylight than anybody else.

It helps with productivity, motivation (as Jamie says) and is just all around healthier.

One of my pet peeves now is someone saying “I don’t have the time.” especially if it’s prefixed with “I want this but…”. Hey I have news for you. You have the same amount of time as everyone else, learn to prioritize.

Sorry, bit of a rant day today.

Marc’s last blog post..Giving Appreciation and Honor To Entrepreneurs

As for me, it’s tough to find a rhythm when I know I will be interrupted at any moment.

If I have no clear path or direction, or have no task planned and ready to start after the current one is finished, I find I just stop working.

The best way for me to be motivated and find my rhythm is to plan my day the night before. I open up my Blackberry planner and schedule tasks with challenging deadlines. I find if I give myself less time than I would normally, I always get the task done.

Jamie

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