Reset

I’ve been really trying to take time at the beginning of my work time each day to pause and reset my brain. I fly through the morning and beginning of the afternoon in total mom-mode (maybe you know it?) and then, when it’s time to sit down and shift gears into author-mode, I’m so grateful for the time to myself that I sometimes lose track of time and completely forget what I sat down to do. Or I remember what I planned to do that day, but I’m so exhausted I sit and stare into space (or worse, social media) for 30 minutes before I even begin to make progress on the day’s tasks. And those 30 minutes are valuable!

So I’ve been taking a breath before I dive into writing and it’s really helped. I sit still (sometimes I close my eyes) and I tell myself

1. The kids are good. They’re safe. They’re happy.
2. This is my time to dive into the career I’ve built from scratch. To invest in that which lights my soul on fire.

Then I cast my mind to the story I’m working on, and remember what it’s like to be in those character’s heads.

Finally, I open my document, briefly read what I wrote yesterday, and dive into the words.

You don’t have to be a writer to use a ritual when it’s time to switch gears. What do you do that helps you transition from one task/project/role to another?