Back to work
The past few weeks saw a trial by fire, of sorts, as I got back to work with several projects due on the same day. In my past life as a writer with no kids, the workload would have been light. But now, one article, one edit, and a PR piece was a lot.
First, Boris got an ear infection. Having to be on amoxicillin made him poop like a newborn for two weeks straight, but at least he wasn't crying constantly. Still I ended up in a pattern of work-nurse-work-nurse-play with Hamlet for five minutes-work-nurse-work-nurse. See where this is going? Hamlet began to feel neglected, and started to act out.
That problem was easily remedied once the jobs were complete. I took him food shopping alone one day; another day I didn't touch the computer. Rain Dog also had a week off (great timing, state department of education!) and we had a good mix of quiet days home and fun things. However, it does touch on a problem I've had since high school: I work much better under pressure and last-minute.
I have learned by now that everything is "under pressure and last-minute" when you have children, yet I still goof off because "I still have time." Once upon a time I was the only one who had to deal with the consequences (though there usually weren't any), but now other people--small dictatorial people--have to deal with them too. Solution: retrain myself to take those five-minute bits of time more seriously. But hey, I've got 15 years to do it. Right?
First, Boris got an ear infection. Having to be on amoxicillin made him poop like a newborn for two weeks straight, but at least he wasn't crying constantly. Still I ended up in a pattern of work-nurse-work-nurse-play with Hamlet for five minutes-work-nurse-work-nurse. See where this is going? Hamlet began to feel neglected, and started to act out.
That problem was easily remedied once the jobs were complete. I took him food shopping alone one day; another day I didn't touch the computer. Rain Dog also had a week off (great timing, state department of education!) and we had a good mix of quiet days home and fun things. However, it does touch on a problem I've had since high school: I work much better under pressure and last-minute.
I have learned by now that everything is "under pressure and last-minute" when you have children, yet I still goof off because "I still have time." Once upon a time I was the only one who had to deal with the consequences (though there usually weren't any), but now other people--small dictatorial people--have to deal with them too. Solution: retrain myself to take those five-minute bits of time more seriously. But hey, I've got 15 years to do it. Right?
posted by Christa M. Miller at 10:57 AM
2 Comments:
I'm so glad to hear that I'm not the only one dealing with this. I'm so used to procrastinating and then pulling it together at the last minute. Unfortunately, as Pumpkinhead continues to age, I realize that my time is no longer my own and that he has a little sensor that knows when I need alone time and goes berserk at any sign that I might need to fully accomplish a task. I was telling Chapin the other day that Pumpkinhead is oddly well-behaved when he's home, but when we're home alone it's "I want to be on top of you, Mommy" or "Come sit with me in my room, Mommy". Ugh. Don't want to miss the precious times, but seriously, can't we schedule it? ;)
Christa,
I face this often and find myself working in a similar way; I'll do the interviews on time, but will leave the writing until that last minute.
Last week, I had two articles due and sent both in late on the day they were required. Argh.
But, this year, I'm trying to write two manuscripts and am also trying to retrain myself into better daily habits. I don't have external deadlines on these projects; just the unsettling pressure from readers and my agent.
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