I've been listening to some CD's of workshops from past RWA conferences, and one of them is about goal setting. This speaker* recommends setting very small, easily reachable goals. So, if you know that you can easily write 1000 words/day, make your goal 750. Also break it up into smaller goals, like in the next 1/2 hour, write a minimum 100 words. By having goals which you can't help but meet, you'll be giving yourself lots of positive reinforcement. You choose your rewards: you can have a chart with little stars, a small break for a treat, a walk around the block - whatever makes you smile and recharges your batteries a bit. Her suggestions are all about giving lots of positive feedback to yourself.
Because the alternative, which too many writers fall into, is the over-optimistic goals which you really are not likely to meet. As in, yesterday you had a brilliant day and everybody was out of the house and you wrote 5000 amazing, all keeper, words. So today, you should be able to write at least 5000 again. Just because the kids are home, the car needs to go to the shop and your mother in law is coming for dinner shouldn't affect things at all. And when by 3 pm you realize you can't possibly reach you goal, you'll feel like crap, and give up, and sabotage yourself so that you don't even write the more reasonable 500 words.
For over-achieving, perfectionistic people this is a hard lesson to learn.
Viz. the schedule I have created for our schoolwork.
Mondays: Math, English, History, Polish, Science, Library trip, Hugo swimming lesson
Tuesday: Math, English, Art, both kids gymnastics class, typing & computer
Wednesday: Math, English, History, French, Science, Hugo swimming lesson
Thursday: Math, English, Art, Cooking lesson, Amelia dance class
Friday: Geography, English, History, Latin, Science
It's a beautiful schedule, all color-coded. I've thought everything out (except whether doing 3 foreign languages at the same time is insane) & purposely left weekends open, so that if subjects don't get covered during the week, we can catch up on Saturday & Sunday.
We'll see how it actually meshes with reality.
*Trish Milburn and Stephanie Rowe, Yes, You Do Have Time to Write: Making the Most of Every Minute, RWA National 2004
4 comments:
I like your scheduling idea, and also the rationale behind it. It is so easy to set super goals and then when you don't meet them, bury your head in chocolate. Or wait, maybe that's just my reaction.....
No, it's not just you.
I keep a stash of chocolate hidden & for mini breaks in the kitchen when the kids are driving me batty. :-)
Chocolate certainly seems to be a common consolation! I really like your ideas of realistic goal setting -- especially the "next day you can do just as much or more" idea. A common trap for me.
Do you know Polish, or do you have a good program that you use? I spent a summer in Poland in my single days, and love the sound of the language!
~Diane
Hi Diane
I speak Polish. My vocabulary is miserable & I often make grammatical mistakes but I can carry on conversations and don't have an accent. I lived there till I was 10. But I didn't speak it to my kids & now I'm trying to catch them up! I have all kinds of things but our current favourite is a Berlitz tape. I'm still dithering over Rosetta Stone; my kids lose enthusiasm for computer things quickly and it's so expensive!
When were you in Poland? I haven't been back since 93.
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