And then, sometimes, you remember you have a blog.
This week, I’ve been thinking a lot about routines. Thanks to some (mostly political) changes at the day job, I’ve tried to reset my schedule, and I’ve been taking that as a jumping-off point to shake up a lot of my other routines, as well.
Sleep, for example. For years now, I’ve been running on 20-hour days, and getting an average of four hours of sleep a night. I’m trying to bump that up to the 5.5 to 6 hour range. It’s not been easy — there have been a couple of nights this week where I got two or less hours. Humans are resistant to change.
But just because something doesn’t work out right away isn’t a reason to abandon the project (at least, in my opinion). You need to give yourself time to adjust.
It’s like writing with a day job, which most writers do. You have to figure out a compromise where you feel you’re getting enough writing done without too many other things — work, time with loved ones, basic nutrition, sleep — taking too much of a hit. It’s a balancing act, and I’m still trying to prioritize and figure out how to work everything in. It would just be much easier if we could change the standard solar day to 26 hours. Someone get on that for me.
So what about you, folks? What schedule works for you? I’m open to suggestions.
My schedule involves coffee and tears!
Okay, so now that I’ve experienced the same fun of your day job (I swear, I read your posts and it’s almost like we work together!), I’m also struggling to adapt. As you know, when left to my own devices, I don’t stay up as late as you, but without a commute and morning shower and prep (that can be done on lunch break, after work, or after the nightly walks when working from home), I regularly crashed at midnight…maybe one a.m.
Now, I could sleep right now.
In bed at 9:30 or 10:00 (8:00 the night I finished Matt Bondurant’s THE NIGHT SWIMMER a couple evenings ago), and actually asleep by 11:00 or 11:30. Up at 5:30 and out the door at 6:30.
I look forward to catching up on sleep this weekend…
I know what you mean. Staying up late used to be great for writing, but with the extra time carved out of my day, I’m often not up for staying up much past midnight.