My Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life

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August 28, 2012
8 Comment

Pigeon of Discontent: “I Have Great Ideas, But No Time To Execute Them.”

Each week, I post a video about some Pigeon of Discontent raised by a reader. Because, as much as we try to find the Bluebird of Happiness, we’re also plagued by those small but pesky Pigeons of Discontent.

This week’s Pigeon of Discontent, suggested by a reader, is: “I have great ideas, but no time to execute them.”

 

What about you? Do you have strategies to make sure that you work consistently on creative projects? Do you think that the little-bit-each-day approach is helpful?

If you want to read more about this resolution, check out…

No time for something important to you? Try getting up earlier.

Frustrated? Stuck? Put yourself in creativity boot camp.

8 writing tips from Flannery O’Connor.

You can post your own Pigeon of Discontent at any time; also, from time to time, I’ll make a special call for suggestions.

You can check out the archives of videos here. I’m thrilled–I realized that my YouTube channel has passed the mark for one million viewers! Zoikes.

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Also ...

  • I really enjoy Eric Barker's blog, Barking Up the Wrong Tree, and this post about Things that are proven to make you happier was particularly thought-provoking. I don't agree with all of it, but much to think about.

     

  • Do you love to read? Join my new book group! Sign up so you never miss a recommendation. Each month, I'll suggest one great book about happiness, one great book about children's literature, and one eccentric pick. Nothing makes me happier than a good book.

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Other posts you might be interested in...

  1. Pigeon of Discontent: “I Waste Time on Mindless Things.”
  2. Pigeon of Discontent: “I Say Yes; I Want To Say No.”
  3. Pigeon of Discontent: “No One Appreciates Me.”
  4. Pigeon of Discontent: “Help! The Snooze Button!”
  5. Pigeon of Discontent: “How To Organize My Notes?”
  • http://www.facebook.com/emily.kaminski Emily Kaminski

    This is so true! You mentioned something like this in an earlier post and I’ve been trying it for a blog project about stories for children. I started small, but I started! Just a little bit of accomplishment is motivating enough to keep going. I plan to post Sunday-Thursday so as to keep weekends free, but I swear I think about your “the perfect is the enemy of the good” several times a day in all areas. It helps me to ditch the all or nothing mentality. BTW, the bed making resolution is another small one that seems to be a little thing I do every day that makes my house feel a whole lot cleaner than it really is! http://storiesitellthekids.blogspot.com/

  • peninith1

    So agree! With my quilting work, I switch around to different types of tasks all the time to keep myself fresh (cuts down on burnout, frustrating mistakes, and sore muscles from holding one position)–hand work, cutting out, piecing, quilting on the machine, preparing fabrics, designing. I try not to spend more than half an hour at a time on any one activity, and thus advance several projects in a day. Little by little, I’ve completed so many dozens of projects, I’m surprised at myself.

    As for ‘having no time,’ I’m a big fan of Steven Covey’s (7 Habits of Highly Successful People) separation of priorities into four quadrants. Take a sheet of paper and fold it in four, and put your priorities in the following four quadrants: Quadrant 1: Urgent, IMPORTANT tasks go here, and obviously need to be addressed first. Quadrant 2: Not urgent, IMPORTANT tasks go here. It is where most of the ‘I wish I had time to’ secret goals of our lives languish and die. Quadrant 3: Urgent but NOT important tasks. Dancing to someone else’s tune? Creating an emergency for yourself by being late? Quadrant 4: Not urgent and not important tasks. Busywork and time wasters. Now, look at how you are spending your time. Your heart’s desire, for which you have no time, should be in quadrant 2–it may not be urgent, but it sure is IMPORTANT. So yes, do the Quadrant 1 stuff first. Pay the bills on time, talk to your kid’s teacher about the problem at school, go to your doctor’s appointment, meet the deadline at work. But be honest about the time you are spending in Quadrant 4, watching reruns of Law & Order, playing Words with friends on the computer. Can you take the time from there? Can you limit the Quadrant 3 urgency of your bff’s latest not-so-important drama on the phone to get back to your novel writing? Can you say ‘No’ to a volunteer request so you can have time to go to the gym? The time is there–you just have to protect it from the constant nibbling of the unimportant things.

  • http://www.facebook.com/dougisenberg Doug Isenberg

    Reminds me of that old riddle: “How do you eat an elephant?” Answer: “One bite at a time.”

  • Jill Q.

    I am a stay at home mom to two boys. One was born in May of this year. The other is a special needs high energy 3 year-old who thinks naps are for wusses and is very hungry for mom’s attention now that he has competition. I’m also an aspiring writer. So what do I do? I make myself write two sentences of my book, every morning, early. I’m usually jiggling a baby on my lap while I do it too.
    If I write more than that, great. If not, that’s okay, I made my goal. I don’t let myself “play” at all until it’s done. Obviously, this is not the way to get anything done quickly. But what it does do is 1) keep me in the world of my story until big boy starts school again 2) make me feel like I’m taking my goals and dream seriously, even if I’m going very slowly.
    My method can’t be applied to everyone, but the general idea holds that you can find time even when life is challenging ;-)
    I also find that withholding my first cup of coffee until I’ve met my writing goal (big or small) is very motivating. Sometimes I even brew it and let it sit there taunting me. Another thought that might not work for all, but might help some people ;-)

  • JellyBean

    I like to schedule time in my diary for things I care about. If I’m invited somewhere and I see an empty space in my diary I’m inclined to say “yes”. But if I see a reminder that I plan to do something for myself on that day I am more likely to stick to my plan. In my case it is often a “book-fest” (reading) day instead of something creative :-)

  • Pammie

    I love this approach to projects and use it often. For example, I’m go to a knitting group at my local yarn shop every Tuesday night and then again on Sunday aftenoons. It’s great socializing time, and I can focus on my knitting for a few hours each time. I’ve completed many projects this way. I’m now using this approach to getting back to exercise, starting with 15 minutes of yoga every morning. Thanks for this video, Gretchen. Can’t wait to read your new book !

  • Rachel

    I commented on a previous post that I now use the time in the evening that I used to waste in front of the TV writing. My goal is to work for an hour. Most evenings – if I can get to work early enough – it’s longer. I’m working on a novel and have been using this approach since February. So far, I’ve written 200 pages.

  • http://6000vurus.blogspot.in/ murat

    a simple yet potent fact… i must confess that i do this all the time: overestimate what i can accomplish in a short amount of time. naturally, i don’t get to accomplish the task in the given time and feel discontent at the end of the day. if i tweak my expectations and program myself to do a little bit each day and to accomplish the task within a larger period of time, i can definitely be happier…

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