Sometimes the saying “everything in moderation” roots itself into the activities we do.
While I aspire to be a published author one day, my life is currently immersed in the world of Information Technology. IT guys like me have been stereotyped as non-sleeping machines, like the computers, servers, and devices we operate. And for good reason. We never seem to get off them. IT resides in an ever-changing, fast-paced world.
Writers need to find time for their craft in order to remain sharp, vigilant, and trendy. This means more time reading, writing, and researching. I feel the bygone days of the eight-hour workday have long passed us by since we entered the Technology Age. While companies must follow employment laws, they know which buttons to push to make employees more effective—even if that means doing work on their own time and dime—or they may find themselves out of a job.
I easily spend eighty hours a week on the Internet. This involves a variety of devices: smartphone, laptop, workstation, tablet, smart TV. Not only do I have to be dedicated to my livelihood in IT, but I also have to find time to write, research, and improve my craft as a wannabe author. It’s like going to college all over again: study, work, study, Ramen Noodles or Hot Pockets, and a few hours of sleep. It gets harder as you grow older. I’m fifty now, and I need more than three to four hours of sleep every night. If not for the love of writing, dedicating myself to a dream! I will succeed or crash and burn on my terms.
One last bit of advice: on days when you lose retention over the simplest tasks, like reading a sentence or a paragraph, unplug yourself! Shut everything down: computers, smartphones, televisions, everything. Close all your books. Place those No. 2 pencils on your desk, stand up, and walk away. And keep walking. Go to bed. Take a nap. Take a stroll. Go for a bike ride or hit the golf course. Take a two-hour vacation or head off on a short adventure. Do something pandemic-friendly. Have a glass of wine or three with some good cheese. Go bowling. Hug your kids, spouse, loved ones. Unplug from the world, get off the grid, and go relax. Find something else to do that frees your mind from the daily grind, even if that means taking a day or two off. Take as much time as you need to reboot your mental CPU.
When you are fit to return, you’ll have fresh eyes, sharpened perspective, and improved energy. You’ll be able to attack mundane tasks with renewed verve. You’ll find yourself diving into your work, and the hours will slip away unnoticed once more.
