I’ve
always had this problem--boredom. Throughout my life, I’d get bored
with things very easily. It’s probably one of the main reasons I couldn’t keep
a long-term relationship. But like most, we’re supposed to mature and lose and
gain things along the way. Unfortunately, I haven’t lost boredom.
Change
has always suppressed the boredom for the time being. It makes my life
interesting. My hair is a great example. Everyone and anyone who knows me has
seen my hair change months at a time from long to short, blonde to eggplant, I
constantly change out of boredom. Changing my looks spices things up for me. I’m
sure change was the main component when making the decision to move from the U.S. to
Germany.
Now
I’ve come into a major problem with boredom. I’m on all social networks and I
blog, yet I can’t seem to stay focused in promoting and keeping an online presence.
I can Tweet about something, but I get bored reading the countless tweets with
links. My attention just isn’t there. I go to Goodreads and participate in
discussion groups, but then I stop for weeks at a time.
The
consistency and dedication that so many writers have I seem to be missing. I’m
so caught up with my life and writing my current WIP that I don’t have the
drive to Tweet, post on my Facebook page, blog, join in discussions on LinkedIn
and Goodreads on a daily basis. I’ve forced myself and find that I’m not even ‘listening’
to what’s being said out there.
So
what do I do? How do I shake the boredom, keep an online presence, promote and
live life? How do some of you amazing people do it? I’ve followed and watched
some delve into their blogs like daily journals. They respond to every comment
as if they’ve been friends forever. They’re Tweeting and making friends,
posting on Facebook pages and connecting with others. But me, the boredom seems
to cast a veil over my face, hiding me from the things I should be doing as a
writer.
All
I hear is, you gotta have a website. You gotta have a blog. You gotta get
involved. As much as I want to get involved, find critique partners, connect at
a deeper level with writers, I’m struggling to find them…or I don’t know how to
go about finding them and then boredom sets in and I turn to life to get things
going again.
Does
any of this sound familiar to anyone else? Am I the only one unfocused and
bored? Should I buy a smart phone or an iPhone? Should I start eating black licorice on a daily basis?
Boredom
and Change,
Bea
Go with twizzlers, they make mouths happy!
ReplyDeleteSometimes boredom is an objection to unknown change. When you change your hair you know what will happen. But when you can't see the results or their is ambiguity from doing something you can find it more interesting to do other things. I know this from my own experience (well that and ADD seems to keep me moving from experience to experience).
I will find me doing things I have more control over when I know I should be doing other things. There is little thought of why I am doing it, it just happens. But when you have done it enough you begin to see a pattern.
Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to muscle yourself through exactly what you are avoiding. When you do that enough times it becomes a habit. It is our daily habits that determine where are ship is heading. (I really love the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People... read it if you haven't already).
"Sometimes boredom is an objection to unknown change." That makes a lot of sense. I probably should start with one muscle at a time. Flex it daily or make some type of schedule. Thanks for your input.
DeleteHm, I'm not the person to answer things about an online presence (I have none), but the first thing I thought after reading this is that you might be suffering the effects of information overload with social media. You say you're too caught up in life and writing and your WIP to care about networking and I say... GREAT! I think the whole online/platform stuff is overrated anyway. (I'm sure I come across as cynical, but this is only my .02)
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think that the internet is a breeding ground for ADD. People can't do anything in long-doses anymore. There's pressure to multi-task and tweet this, hyper-link that... ugh. I think we are damaging our brains. I think the best thing to do to combat boredom is to indulge in a lengthy activity, read a long novel, pick one topic or theme and wander the streets of Germany with your camera and take pictures several days in a row... force yourself NOT to interrupt anything and do a quick check of email or fb or twitter. It's hard!! It's something I'm working on too.
Sorry, this sounds like a rant. But it's how I feel.
P.S. DON'T buy an iphone or smartphone. Your concentration will go out the window. :P I recommend black licorice for everything. ;-)
"...you might be suffering the effects of information overload with social media." I think you probably nailed it. There are so many places to go to that I don't know where to start and so I just don't do it. Your suggestions are great. I should read a book or wander the streets of Germany snapping pictures. And then, I should buckle down, like Jon suggests, and get into the habit of doing these things. Maybe concentrate on one for some time and work the others in.
DeleteI won't get an iphone or smartphone. I'll stick with my old flip phone. And black licorice does do the trick. ;) Thanks, Lady. It's great to see you back.
This sounds like the first step - making your intentions known. Reach out to people, even just on the blogosphere. Leave them a comment, or e-mail them, and see if they'd be interested in being critique partners, or on a smaller scale, if they'd just read something of yours in exchange for reading something of theirs. You just have to take small steps before you dive right in.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. I've never been good at making the first move, so I haven't really reached out to others and asked them for anything. I need to start doing it.
DeleteUgh! I'd go for chocolate over licorice any day! I've really enjoyed developing my blog and learning about social media, though I would like to be a little less automated in the how I share posts, but it's all such a hard balancing act. The creative side to all of it continually draws me back, and dare I say, pulls at me more than drafting my novel.
ReplyDeleteI've found my drafting doesn't suffer too much when I work on the book first thing in the morning, and I stay logged-off all social sites until I'm done. Also, it's rare for me to use social media very much on the weekends. That way I come back feeling refreshed and ready to go... hence why I haven't commented on this post until Monday afternoon.
I know scheduling doesn't work for everyone, but the routine I've developed does help keep things in their place so I can feel engaged and not too overwhelmed. As for SmartPhones, I've found mine is a great attention hog, so I do things like not use it in bed, etc.
I was never a schedule person, but I'm beginning to think I'd benefit from it. I need to have time set aside for writing, blogging, looking for freelance work, taking care of my pup, taking care of my husband and the flat. I'm looking for an online schedule I can use. Thanks for your input.
DeleteSometimes I feel unfocused too. Because I stay at home because of disability, I find it hard to accomplish just one thing some days. I take baby steps realizing that with each step I come closer to my goals. Try doing one thing everyday. Make Monday your Twitter Day and so on. Good luck. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mary. It helps knowing I'm not alone, but I don't have a disability. I'll need to take the baby steps you're talking about. I appreciate your suggestion. Take care.
DeleteYes Bea - I definitely feel the same especially this year after retiring. It's up to me now how to structure my life and I haven't been that good at it.
ReplyDeleteI've had some projects and it has been good -- somewhat keeping me on track and in the mix. But, like you I lose focus and feel uninspired and find it hard to write sometimes.
I sometimes feel my life is slipping away and I'm lazily watching it pass a day at a time.
Maybe it's the seasons and here in the US when Spring gets in full swing I hope to change along with it and stay in my rut. :-)
Pat, I'm so glad I'm not alone. I get lazy and find it hard to focus. Some days go by and I wonder what I actually did.
DeleteThanks for stopping by.