Do you feel the world is spinning a little bit faster these days? Do you feel like you're running on a treadmill? Ha, and I don't mean the type they have at the dreaded gym. I mean the feeling where you are living in such a hyper state that you feel like you'll never get things done - what to prioritise? What to leave off the list?
A cursory read of the many blogs I follow bears this out - we're all feeling the pressure, whether it's the demands of family, the demands of work (outside of writing, which depending on your definition may or may not be work), the demands of your editor (lucky you!), or even the demands of reading blogfest entries. Demands, demands, demands. Women have always been regarded as the 'carers,' like it or not, and many demands on our time are from those needing our nurturing. Finding the time to do anything well is the trick. I'm sure you feel like me at times - with all those demands do we really do anything as well as we should?
This feeling sometimes makes me nostalgic for the past. Was this really a simpler time? Did our mothers and grandmothers have it easier than we do? In some ways yes, but in others, no. Depending on your mother's age, maybe she would not have had all the mod-cons we enjoy. Yet even with automatic washers and dryers and other fabulous gadgets, we seem to have less time in our day to just relax and have 'me' time.
Sure, neither my mother nor my grandmother was trying to write novels or short stories, but they had way more children than I do, they worked harder physically, but somehow they had time to sit down and listen to radio serials, read books and do the knitting/crocheting, home baking. How delightful and alien at the same time. How did things change so quicky?
Maybe Atlas is having a joke with us and is spinning the Earth faster and faster. It certainly seems that way. Do you ever feel like screaming: 'Stop the world, I wanna get off!'
Then, where would we be? Huh?
A cursory read of the many blogs I follow bears this out - we're all feeling the pressure, whether it's the demands of family, the demands of work (outside of writing, which depending on your definition may or may not be work), the demands of your editor (lucky you!), or even the demands of reading blogfest entries. Demands, demands, demands. Women have always been regarded as the 'carers,' like it or not, and many demands on our time are from those needing our nurturing. Finding the time to do anything well is the trick. I'm sure you feel like me at times - with all those demands do we really do anything as well as we should?
This feeling sometimes makes me nostalgic for the past. Was this really a simpler time? Did our mothers and grandmothers have it easier than we do? In some ways yes, but in others, no. Depending on your mother's age, maybe she would not have had all the mod-cons we enjoy. Yet even with automatic washers and dryers and other fabulous gadgets, we seem to have less time in our day to just relax and have 'me' time.
Sure, neither my mother nor my grandmother was trying to write novels or short stories, but they had way more children than I do, they worked harder physically, but somehow they had time to sit down and listen to radio serials, read books and do the knitting/crocheting, home baking. How delightful and alien at the same time. How did things change so quicky?
Maybe Atlas is having a joke with us and is spinning the Earth faster and faster. It certainly seems that way. Do you ever feel like screaming: 'Stop the world, I wanna get off!'
Then, where would we be? Huh?
9 comments:
I think we try to stuff too much into each day. It's hard for me to say "no" to things, and then I take on too much all at once!
How many of us suffer from the 'can't say no' syndrome? 100%? I just feel so mean if I say 'no', so it's easier to say 'yes.'
Great post.
I'm dealing with this right now just between my blogging and my writing. I try to write all these posts and visit all these blogs to read their posts and write a novel at the same time. Too much to do, too little time.
Well done.
I'm definitely hearing you. There's just so much amazing info on writing being blogged it's hard to find the time to write! All the best with your novels and querying..:)
Congrats on being Nr 200 over on Spunk on a Stick!
I take on too much all at once!
data entry india
Thany YOU Tessa! Yes Prashant, don't we all?
LOL, this really is felt everywhere. It's funny because I just blogged last week about burning ourselves out and that was before we blumped (i.e., blog bumped) into each other. I think the Atlas theory must be true if everyone's days keep getting shorter!
I'm going to start giving myself time limits for some things I tend to spend too much time on. I may need to make myself a writing schedule just to make sure I stay on track.
Yes Angela, there's just so many demands on our time, but on the positive side, I think this gives us an energy we wouldn't otherwise have. I find visiting blogs gives me a real kick and I do this in between writing short stories and editing my novel. Great to have blog bumped into you recently! (See, we are inventing a metalanguage!)
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