Organization
This week has been about getting organized. I am back on track for my online training. Day by day I am getting lessons done and hopefully in the next few weeks I will be done and can test for my certification as a Registered Behavioral Technician. As many of you know I am not just a mom and a writer I work with special needs children with behavioral issues. During the Covid shutdown, I discovered how much I love my day job. I would love to write full-time but it’s not an option at this time in my life. Being able to work with special needs children is one of the highlights of my life. It is a demanding job that brings new challenges everyday. I like the challenge of trying to figure out how to work with certain kids and help them to be able to become part of society. Eventually I will be able to branch out into the private sector where I will make more money but for now I work at a public school.
Getting back on track with my training has made me start to look at how to get back on track with my writing as well. I had plans on finishing book six this summer and have not been able to do so. Part of it has been because of my training. The other part of it is I have not had access to my story boards or my desk. I am getting a divorce and at this time my ex and I are still living together. Our lease is not up until February and I can’t afford a place on my own as of yet. I sleep in my living room that I am now sharing with my mom and we share a closet with my kids and a bathroom. My house for the last two weeks has been total chaos. Truthfully, chaos has been an understatement. My desk has been in my ex’s room with my storyboards, I have been trying to write this book with no layout or ability to create cards as I normally do. It has made me crazy and is one of the reasons I am struggling with this book. All week I have been trying to write and have failed by epic proportions. Between my kids, training, and my mom I have not been able to write more than seven pages this week. I would get on a roll and someone would interrupt me with something. I finally at one point said you all win. The frustration I have felt this week has led me to try and figure out how I fix what is wrong. How do I get my storyboards, and desk into the living space I am sharing with my mom? I have been questioning this for a week when it hit me. I live in a small two bedroom apartment. The dining room table had become a catch all mostly because I live in the living room. So I decided to make a change. I decided the first thing to do was get the damn table cleaned off and move it to storage. Most people do spring cleaning, I did summer cleaning. I spent two hours cleaning off the table organizing things and placing the table into storage. I then made the bold move and moved my desk into the dining room. It forced us to organize my mom’s stuff a bit more and made room for my writing. As soon as I had one of my storyboards and my desk in place I felt better. It was like a piece of me was missing and I have reconnected with it. My other two story boards will be moved tomorrow and I will have all the pieces of the puzzle together.
The next step after moving my desk came: how do I fix the problems with this book? As I sat looking at my desk I realized I knew what I needed to do. I need to spend a day or two creating my layout. I need to write out all of my chapter cards and see where to go next. I have spent weeks trying to figure out what I was going to do. I felt like I was letting Savannah, myself, and my readers down. The fact that the answer to all of this was as simple as moving my desk and storyboards is sad. I should have realized it months ago but I didn’t.
I was wrapped up in trying to figure out how I was going to survive financially on my own. I was working three jobs, I was teaching my kids, and I was lost in the chaos. We still have more to organize but I feel like we are on the right track.
Take the time when you are lost in the chaos of life. Look at all the sides of the puzzle and do not just make it work, figure out how all of the pieces fit together. Sometimes we need certain items in front of you in order to feel productive. For me, I need my desk and storyboards. Find the thing or item you need that helps you be productive. Until next time!
Getting back on track with my training has made me start to look at how to get back on track with my writing as well. I had plans on finishing book six this summer and have not been able to do so. Part of it has been because of my training. The other part of it is I have not had access to my story boards or my desk. I am getting a divorce and at this time my ex and I are still living together. Our lease is not up until February and I can’t afford a place on my own as of yet. I sleep in my living room that I am now sharing with my mom and we share a closet with my kids and a bathroom. My house for the last two weeks has been total chaos. Truthfully, chaos has been an understatement. My desk has been in my ex’s room with my storyboards, I have been trying to write this book with no layout or ability to create cards as I normally do. It has made me crazy and is one of the reasons I am struggling with this book. All week I have been trying to write and have failed by epic proportions. Between my kids, training, and my mom I have not been able to write more than seven pages this week. I would get on a roll and someone would interrupt me with something. I finally at one point said you all win. The frustration I have felt this week has led me to try and figure out how I fix what is wrong. How do I get my storyboards, and desk into the living space I am sharing with my mom? I have been questioning this for a week when it hit me. I live in a small two bedroom apartment. The dining room table had become a catch all mostly because I live in the living room. So I decided to make a change. I decided the first thing to do was get the damn table cleaned off and move it to storage. Most people do spring cleaning, I did summer cleaning. I spent two hours cleaning off the table organizing things and placing the table into storage. I then made the bold move and moved my desk into the dining room. It forced us to organize my mom’s stuff a bit more and made room for my writing. As soon as I had one of my storyboards and my desk in place I felt better. It was like a piece of me was missing and I have reconnected with it. My other two story boards will be moved tomorrow and I will have all the pieces of the puzzle together.
The next step after moving my desk came: how do I fix the problems with this book? As I sat looking at my desk I realized I knew what I needed to do. I need to spend a day or two creating my layout. I need to write out all of my chapter cards and see where to go next. I have spent weeks trying to figure out what I was going to do. I felt like I was letting Savannah, myself, and my readers down. The fact that the answer to all of this was as simple as moving my desk and storyboards is sad. I should have realized it months ago but I didn’t.
I was wrapped up in trying to figure out how I was going to survive financially on my own. I was working three jobs, I was teaching my kids, and I was lost in the chaos. We still have more to organize but I feel like we are on the right track.
Take the time when you are lost in the chaos of life. Look at all the sides of the puzzle and do not just make it work, figure out how all of the pieces fit together. Sometimes we need certain items in front of you in order to feel productive. For me, I need my desk and storyboards. Find the thing or item you need that helps you be productive. Until next time!
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