Saturday, October 30, 2010

That Great Sucking Sound is Time...Slipping Away...

Since I began working on a novel, one of the things that I've become very cognizant of is time...and how little there is of it. As I spend more time on social media venues like Twitter, blogs (mine and others), chat groups etc, I began to see what a time suck the internet is. I'm amazed at how many hours I can spend on Twitter. It's like having a lot of very interesting people right in your living room at all hours of the night or day. You can just look at the screen and hit them up as you see fit. Honestly, I think I was becoming addicted to Twitter.

Then there's blogging. I remember being so apprehensive about starting a blog. I was playing around with Blogger for the first time and accidentally created a blog by mistake. Oh, the panic. I was scared to death and hurried to delete it. Now, I love my blog. I really do. I enjoy interacting with so many great people. I've met people I never would have. But this blog takes time. I'm a bit obsessive, I think. I like things to be a certain way. Probably things no one else will even notice, but if I'm bothered by it, I have to fix it. This takes time. I notice over the last few months, some very well know blogs have bitten the dust. Their owners have ceased blogging. One of the reasons expressed is to make more time for other things. I don't plan to do that, but I can certainly empathize with the sentiment.

I love promoting books and authors. That means reading the books to review. Sometimes authors contact me or I reach out to them for interviews and whatever else. I thoroughly enjoy it, but there's goes that time thing again. In the midst of all this, I'm working on my own novel, revising, rewriting, plotting etc. I've had to cut back on typing of all sorts because my hands were actually starting to hurt.  The first thing to cut back on was Twitter. Oh, I'm still on it, but not nearly as much as I was. I miss it, but something has to give. I need my hands if I'm going to write a book. I've got to set priorities.  Justine Larbalestier, author of Liar, hasn't blogged since June 2010 because of RSI. Believe me, I feel her pain, literally.                                                                                       

There's a verse in the bible that says "redeem the time." I now have a much better understanding of what that means. You really have to take stock of time. You must be aware of it's passage and plan accordingly. This may mean something as simplistic as making a list and checking off your goals as you accomplish them--whether you decide to do it daily, weekly, whatever.  I know I've done this and it does help--if I follow through.

In essence, what's the message of this post? Time, life passes a lot faster than you think, especially if you're not thinking about it, so do--think about it that is and plan accordingly. I'm sure incorporating this element, living life with more forethought and strategy can only help.  You certainly won't regret it.

Toodles!

6 comments:

  1. I love that you created a blog by accident. :)

    I have a tendency to do a lot of things by accident. Writing a novel was one of them.

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  2. totally true, June!! If you have a dream you want to pursue whether that is writing, teaching, starting a business, being a parent, you have to consciously direct your time toward it. I think it's natural to get off track sometimes and just knowing where you want to go, even if you are off course will help you get back on--like a sailor skilled at dead reckoning navigation
    :-)

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  3. I'm trying to spend my time more wisely. I'm spending less time on the internet to do so.

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  4. Charlene, glad you agree!

    Maria, I actually did delete the first blog in a bit of a panic, but started this one shortly thereafter! Thanks for stopping in.

    Hey Paul. You have definitely hit it on the head. I'm taking your words of wisdom as confirmation of some things I'm thinking about. Good to "see" you.

    Yeah Medeia. The internet is very sneaky and will gobble you up, if you're not careful. Thanks for the drop-in!

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  5. You never told me you were an accidental blogger...I love this story.

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I enjoy reading what you have to say. Seriously!