After
spending a lot of time reading about different people's takes on
self-discipline (what it is, how it is developed and how it can be
used to improve your life) a number of themes became clear.
Although
the methods of teaching yourself discipline vary, there are several
constants:
-Self-discipline
is a fairly useless exercise unless it is directed toward a goal.
-Without
your desire behind it, achieving a goal is astronomically more
difficult. Rather than something you desultorily think you 'ought' to
do, it should be something you have a powerful reason for pursuing.
-The
core of self-discipline is choice. You choose to apply your efforts
and time toward something that furthers a goal, rather than choosing
to spend that same effort and time toward something that does not and
will not improve your life long term.
-Anyone
can develop the skill/habit/character trait of self-discipline no
matter where you are now on your journey.
-Self-discipline
never becomes easy. It can become easier, but it is always a
deliberate choice, not an automatically intrinsic part of daily life.
-Finding
and using a method of tracking progress toward a goal can be key for
sustaining the daily effort.
-Take
a day off. No one can or should work every day of the week.*
So,
step one for me became identifying and prioritizing the goals.
Beyond
and above anything else is improving my health.
I
began that a week ago by rejoining Weight Watchers. Today was my
first official weigh-in and I have lost 3.2 pounds. Daily tasks for
achieving the goal of improving my health include tracking the food I
eat and exercising in some way every day. *No days off for those despite that last 'constant' above.
Tied
for second place is:
-writing
fiction (because it is my dream) and
-writing
reviews (because it is an obligation which I am behind in meeting and
I strongly want to be 100% caught up).
Also
under the heading of writing is this blog. I think keeping a private
journal would also be a positive thing in my life. Many of the
writers I encountered yesterday suggested doing a bit of non-work
writing to warm up before plunging into the main manuscript. I
needn't write both the blog and the journal every day, one or the
other will suffice. I may also incorporate as a warm-up choice any of
dozens of writing exercises I've encountered, just to keep things
fresh and indulge my preference for variety, or even a short time spent using collage as a non-linear way to think about the manuscript before I attack the day's writing goal.
Next
up is design work. I have a number of patterns in process, for two of
which Knit Picks provided yarn support. Although at the time they
sent the yarn there was no hard and fast deadline, I dearly want to
complete that obligation and go forward just designing at my own
whim. One of those patterns is almost finished, requiring only a
final edit and some photos, the other is also very close to done.
(all charts made, only a few decisions left before I can knit the
sample while tech editing). Another pattern that is close to
finished was part of a mystery knit along I led on Ravelry. I
promised the participants a finished pattern after I did some work on
it. The fingerless mitts part is finished and photographed, but I
would also like to add the hat which means a bit of knitting and
pattern editing to do. After those three patterns are done, designing
falls down a few slots in my list of goals even though I have another
shawl finished but for editing and photographing and a hat and scarf
pattern that just needs a sample knit.
Bottom
line, other than those patterns for which I feel some sense of
obligation to others, designing is going to be for pleasure even
though the profit is a nice benefit.
Also
on the knitting/crafting front and vying for 2nd place
with the design stuff is completing the Master Knitters Course with
The Knitting Guild of America. Years ago my Mom-in-Law Liz gave the
course to me as a birthday gift. I love learning, I love honing my
skill in whatever realm and completing that course will provide me
with a lot of satisfaction. I have already written to TKGA requesting
an updated version of the rules and requirements and have ordered a
special yarn to use for my swatches (which will be sent in for
judging/scoring/testing.) After I finish level one, I may continue
with levels two and three but that decision will be made later.
After
the big three arenas of health, writing and designing/pursuing the
Masters falls the heading of Home. Things like housework, organizing
and unpacking, cooking, anything that improves our living
environment, you get the idea.
Although
there are some tie ins with the health arena (cleaning is exercise,
and healthy cooking leads to healthy diet, organized and pleasant
spaces are good for mental health and accomplishing other tasks)
other than making some sort of effort toward improving our living
environment every day the main thing I am doing toward that is using
some of my new SSD income to pay for a maid service to come twice a
month to keep the dust elephants corralled. (they are far to large
and organized to be termed 'bunnies'). After we try that a few
months, we may be able to budget for weekly visits. I tried to keep
up with the basics myself by working on a different room every day
but after three weeks it became clear that doing that meant I was
unable to do anything else at all except sit and recover. Not the
life I want or deserve. Most days I can manage to alternate keeping
up with dishes or laundry and sweep small high-use areas. I also will
be working a short time each day on unpacking and organizing, I hope,
although that may wait until a day off from writing and designing
when Oscar is here to help.
Tomorrow,
identifying the distractions that make self-discipline a daily,
sometimes hourly challenge and thoughts on creating a daily schedule that will further my goals.
2 comments:
I think you've nailed the essentials. I've worked under deadlines most all of my life. Prioritizing is a must. I've also learned that it takes no more time to do it now as later - maybe less.
So you've got it lined up. Go for it!
Glad you put health #1. And I think a big step toward achieving your goals is stating them publicly here. Good job! :)
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