Sometimes We Have to Stop to Start
It’s no secret that I’m a lover of lists. Anyone else? Should we start a support group? It’s how I stay organized and productive throughout the day. But lately, my daily task list has been frustrating me. There were two large, goal-type, dream-like items that I move from day to day, never able to cross them off.
It isn’t that I’m ignoring the items, but they’re BIG items. They’re on my list so that I’ll think about them, which will lead to a plan, which will lead to action, which will lead to success. Unfortunately, the more I think about these items, the less progress I make. Eventually, I resent even seeing the words on my list because they’re starting to represent stagnation and frustration – exactly the opposite of the hope and inspiration I was feeling when I put them there!
Last week, in a fit of anger, I threw up my hands and gave up. I decided that I wasn’t going to work on them anymore. In fact, I was going to deliberately be the opposite of productive for the rest of the week because I was so over it.
I read books and streamed videos. I took naps. I discovered the joys of Pinterest and spent a lot of time browsing and pinning beautiful things (it’s like window shopping without the temptation to walk in and purchase). And I noticed a funny thing happening – I started to miss thinking about my projects. I started to have ideas. I didn’t let myself sit down for any extended thinking, but I jotted a few notes before starting the next movie in the online queue. Still, I started feeling the itch to do again.
Finally, I’m ready to go back to my usual routine, including those two projects. I’m a firm believer in slow and steady wins the race but I also think that giving ourselves a break is vital to restoring our creativity and energy. Brigitte sent me a link to Developing Your Creative Practice: Tips from Brian Eno:
After focusing intently on a project or problem, the brain needs to fully disengage and relax in order for a “Eureka!” moment to arise. It’s often the mundane activities like taking a shower, driving, or taking a walk that lure great ideas to the surface.
I do some of my best thinking in the shower, while brushing my teeth, and in the middle of my commute. And yet, it never occurred to me that I might be over-focusing to the point of stalling myself.
The article includes five specific jump-starting tools from Eno. Tool #1, Freeform Capture, is what I did with Pinterest. I think it’s a great idea to surround yourself with things that inspire you – the process of finding them can be exhilarating and revisiting them can help recall that feeling inside that has been waning. Now, when I’m feeling a bit blah, I can look over all of the pretty things I’ve collected and find a sense of excitement that will allow me to move forward.
So don’t give up – but maybe take a breather. It may be exactly what you need to keep going.
How do you reboot when you feel stuck?
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Thanks for this post… I can definitely relate to feeling stuck. I’m still trying to figure out how to get unstuck, but I know most of my issues have to do with fear more than anything. I wish I could buy courage in a bottle or something!
If you find that courage in a bottle, let me know. Maybe we can work out a group discount. Fear is a lot of it for me. Fear of making the wrong decision, fear that I’m not capable. But a greater fear is plaguing me lately – the fear of things always being like THIS.
I can relate. They need a little saying for this situation, because it really does help to disengage when you are trying to hard to work out a problem/task. Even if that break is short it helps to refocus. It is sort of like “you find love when you stop looking for it.”
I really found that stopping made me miss the projects for all of the reasons that I had started in the first place. It was really helpful.