Thursday, August 20, 2009

What am I doing? Now that I ask....

When it seems as if I'm busy, busy but getting nowhere, I write a DOING List. Not a TO DO list, but a look-what-I'm-doing/accomplishing/what-I-have-in-the-works list. Sort of like a motivation-approbation-affirmation rolled into one. I began doing this when my first child was a needy, high-maintenance, colic-y infant and entire days went by with my feeling that I had done nothing -- until I started a DOING list, and realized all I was doing.

This week, I had that old familiar feeling – wheels constantly spinning, but really, what am I doing? So I went to my old DOING list. And came up with…

…(reading and trying out recipes and) writing a review of a cookbook…preparing first draft of syllabus for a fall writing class…starting a requested essay for a website about a bittersweet aspect of motherhood…finishing copyediting a dissertation chapter for a client…coaching a first time author through a new publicity project…coordinating three guest posts for my own blog and…writing one for someone else's blog…working through editor revisions to a complicated, unusual essay for a new venue I am really psyched about being published by (fingers crossed, OK?)…learning how to edit my own website (HA!)...working out details for judging a writing contest in the fall…

And you? What mixed bag of projects are you working on - go ahead, put your own DOING list in the comments...

4 comments:

Sari Botton said...

I love this idea, Lisa. So empowering. You get a lot done, lady! My doing list: on the reporting leg of three different radio stories; editing an essay I wrote; compiling essay ideas for book concept; blogging; looking for ghostwriting gigs; decluttering office; pickling cucumbers; getting ready for big surgery in 10 days.

My fingers are crossed for you, re: new publishing venue!

Lindsay Price said...

I like the doing rather than the 'to do.' Nice distinction!

I am....reading up on arts curriculum for grades 4-6 for a grant, thinking about my grant application, working on the September newsletter for my company on auditions, enjoying my air conditioning, drinking a LOT of water, Blogging, reading blogs, commenting on blogs...

Anonymous said...

Great affirmation idea, Lisa. It's often true we spin and spin from one task to another and forget that eventually all the work will pay off. So, my SUnday morning-with Kyle and Leif out of town list: writing a narrative for my dossier; reviewing food writing course; developing syllabus for narrative nonfiction; working on power point about sentences;prepping submissions for fall; thinking of a scene to send Kerry by early Sept.; reading Florence and Nan's weekly work;writing a to-do list...

Erika D. said...

This post really spoke to me, Lisa. I've addressed it myself on my blog today.