Timer Trumps Paralysis
Before rolling out of bed this morning, I contemplated my day. In that quiet, before-the-chaos moment I realized that I have three big projects on my plate. Each is important and none of them can be completed in a single day. I need to go through the Schlock Mercenary archives drawing frame boxes so that we can launch the iPhone app. We want to release the app as soon as we can. I need to assemble pictures and layout for the 2008 and 2009 family photo books. I want them done in time to order books as Christmas gifts. I need to collect and revise essays into a book. I’d like to get it ready for submitting within the next month or two.
My preferred mode of operation is to tackle a big project and complete it before taking on another large project. So I lay in bed trying to decide which thing to tackle first. But every time I was leaning toward one of the projects, I could feel the other two pulling at me. If I decided that business came first and I should just get the frames done, then my head would be filled with thoughts about how family things should have priority over business. If I decided to let the frames lay idle in favor of the photo book, then I would remember the feeling I’ve been getting over the last month that the essay book is important and I need to get back to it. (No idea why it is so important, just that I need to finish it.) But if I decided to dive in to the writing, I would remember how the other two projects will both take less time and so I should probably complete them first and clear my head of the conflict. Around and around I went with significant mixing and matching of arguments and counter-arguments.
It was paralyzing. And over the jabber I could hear clearly the voice that claimed I should just scrap it all and go play a computer game instead, because at least a computer game would be relaxing. Then there was also the voice which reminded me that big projects are well and good, but that there’s a pile of house cleaning to be done as well.
This is when I remembered my good friend the timer. I have 16 waking hours in my Saturday. That is enough hours that I can spend time on each of the big projects and still get the housework done. So I got out of bed and made breakfast. Then I set a timer and worked on frames for an hour. Then I took a break to change laundry loads and tend to kids. Then the timer and I worked on the photo book for an hour. Then came a break to make a fresh batch of play dough to occupy bored children. Now I am having an hour of writing. I’ve done all of that, and it is barely lunch time.
I feel so much better about all of the projects. I feel much calmer when I can see that by choosing one project I am not sacrificing the others. They each get their turn in rotation. After lunch I may rotate through the turns again. Or perhaps I’ll give that computer game a turn for awhile.