Now that I have your attention with one of my cats wearing a Yoda hat please read on.
I have a problem, have had a problem, and will probably always have a problem. That problem is FOCUS, something I have been struggling with for a while and losing the battle more often than not. If you are like me, you have a lot of things you would like to do, this side project and that side project, not to mention work! Right? Work just gets in the way of the cool things you could be spending your time doing like…well, other stuff!
The reality is, however, that these things we want to do including our day job require focus and time in order to make any real strides toward progress. I actually really enjoy my day job and am fortunate enoughto work in a field that is creative and challenging in a lot of different ways. Sometimes though this leaves me less than enthusiastic about going home and working on my own projects…like the ones I really really really want to do. Or so I tell myself, but then why is it that I have hard time focusing when I get home. I mean The Big Bang Theory and Ancient Aliens are rerunning nonstop, not to mention the video games, dinner, chasing the cats around, and hangin’ with my wife (sometimes I have to chase her like the cats too).
Speaking of my wife, I could learn a little about focus from her, having just finished a PhD Program over the last five years while working full time…talk about focus! Although the answer she might give me is red wine.
So really, why is it so hard? Part of the problem maybe mental fatigue, laziness, lack of structure, or all that plus some. What I have been finding myself lacking the most is motivation and structure. I mean, these side projects are things that I want to do, things I believe in or am passionate about and still I struggle daily with putting the work in. At some point we either need to light a fire under our ass or sit still and a risk smothering it with our growing behinds.
Here is to striking the first match!
I know how you feel! A creative day job takes A LOT of mental energy! You just cant think of anything else 🙂
yeah, routine can help with that I think but getting started is always a challenge 🙂