Filmmaker Makes Dinner
the simple life of a cook-from-home artistArchive for productivity
On Motivation or: How I learned to give up and take a nap
I need some sort of hands-free-eat-my-sandwich-while-typing device. Come on, science! Why don’t we have hands-free eating yet? Well, what I really needed this week was foot-free walking. That would have been even more helpful.
You know how last week I was all like, “I run! I’m running! I run!”? Yeah, well I thought I’d mix up that whole runner thing by walking straight into a pile of firewood in the dark, tripping (what else do you do when you walk blindly into a pile of wood?), landing with all my weight on my right ankle instead of my trusty foot, and nearly falling into the fire. Let’s just say that it wasn’t my most graceful moment (and I probably won’t be running anytime soon). Ha! I love your sense of humor, universe! So funny.
Since then I’ve been crawling (and hopping and thrusting) my way to and from the kitchen. Clearly I’m able enough now to make this tasty sandwich! (But apparently not skilled enough to write this, eat my sandwich, and peruse Facebook at the same time without getting my mouse covered in honey mustard.)
Anyway, why am I perusing Facebook? Because I have a deadline tomorrow, of course! Why am I trying to eat, read, and navigate my mouse at the same time in a very un-zen manner? Because my mindfulness goals go out the window when I lose my focus and drive! Give me Facebook! If I can’t meet my running goal, then I will throw all of my goals out the window! Hooray!
Okay, not really, but kind of…a little. It is pretty ironic that my one big personal success with running was thwarted as soon as I labeled myself a runner. Running gives me focus, drive, clarity, positivity, so I’ve been living without those things since the weekend. I’ve spent a lot of time mindlessly staring at Facebook, sleeping, repeatedly checking email, and putting off everything that is most important to me. So now I am trying to regain my focus because I have a film to make and a grant deadline tomorrow. (Which means I probably shouldn’t be taking the time to write this right now…) How can I do all that with no focus, drive, clarity, or positivity? Well, I can’t—not without some help! Indie filmmaking is hard work—and not just because the work involved is challenging and time-consuming—motivation may be the hardest part to master. I’ve found this to be the case with most creative endeavors.
When I’m in a lazy, productivity funk, the best things I’ve found to do are dishes and laundry. They don’t require any creative energy, but they help me build momentum and start to feel accomplished. When I feel creatively stuck or overwhelmed, the most helpful activities for me to get unstuck are walking (to clear my head); cooking (on the spot to encourage creativity and preferably not when I’m already starving); taking a shower (during which I conceive of some of the best blog posts); drinking a glass of red wine (but this can backfire…); and, perhaps the best option, giving up and taking a nap (I almost always come up with a solution to a problem during my half-conscious late afternoon naps—and even if I don’t, at least I feel refreshed).
So, tell me, how do YOU regain your creativity and get back on track? Meditation? Gardening? Stamp collecting? Help a lady out and share some insight. (Don’t be shy, it would be nice to know who is out there in the tubes reading this…)
