It’s easy, a little too easy, to get bogged down with the day-to-day aspects of life and fall into a rut. Sometimes just getting the kids up, dressed, and off to school seems like a major win; like I’ve accomplished something.
Once they’re safely inside for a day of learning, I’m off to the gym to combat that mom gut that no matter what I do stays the same. After the gym, it’s errands. How is it I always seem to need to go to the grocery store? I just went! Then home to clean, or at least consider cleaning, the house (My kitchen is always spotless because I start there, every time. That way, when I look at the floor desperately needing a mop, I walk into the kitchen and life is good, because I already forgot about mopping.).
Finally, I have time to write. Tick tock, tick tock … my mind wanders, add something to the grocery list, forgot to call my mom, check Facebook (never check Facebook!), then teen calls (have you finished the pirate book?), tick tock… I don’t have a clock that ticks! Oh look, time to get the kids off the bus. Now it’s off to make the kids well-rounded through sports, dinner, put the kids to bed, and breathe.
I admit it. I have been in a rut.
The problem with a rut is that a catalyst is required to pull you out of it (similar to hitting a speeding ball to change its direction).
I need a catalyst. Like that time a reader of mine had recently gotten into doing voice-overs and asked to make my book Black Roses into an Audiobook. Then there was the time I learned (completely by accident) that my books are being used (as a good example) by a symposium in NYC to teach about ‘the new writing style.’ That was cool.
Cool is great. More important is what we do with that surge of focus that comes with it. What did I do? I went on a book tour. Connecting with both new and old fans was just what I needed to focus on doing what I love: writing books.
The point is, we all fall into ruts, and back out again. It’s inevitable. Life starts to feel repetitive, relationships seem a little stale, work begins to look routine and meaningless, until you become less and less productive as you sink deeper and deeper into the mire. Then something happens, and suddenly you’re motivated again.
It’s mental, and so is the cure.
So, if you’ve found yourself in a rut in your personal or work life, get mental. Find something exciting to focus on. Soon, you’ll find yourself with a renewed attitude, focus and productivity. If only we could bottle it for the next time.
