One of the worst things about working from home (for ME) is that I feel guilty when I’m doing anything other than working when there is work to be done. I have a freelance project right now, and it is not fun. Because it’s a fairly big project that requires a lot of careful thinking (for ME), I find myself working for a bit and then taking a mental break to circle around the house. I don’t let myself sit and knit or spin or read because those are the things I would much rather be doing and there is WORK TO BE DONE. I finally realized that I was stripping myself of joy last week (I don’t usually talk like this), so I forgave myself for not yet being done with the freelance project and I sat down at my wheel to finish the yarn that has been waiting there since before we moved. The colorway is Seraglio, and I learned yesterday (while watching Jeopardy) that Seraglio is another word for a harem, and now I see the yarn completely differently than I did before I watched Jeopardy, which surely means that television is nothing but good.
I then finished a few more chapters, and allowed myself to bind off my first Honey Cowl of the year.
On Tuesday I hit the halfway point of the editing project, so I spun and plied 98 yards of bulky BFL.
(I’m still not making much progress on reading. I’ve been working through The Hotel New Hampshire for over a month. I love it. I LOVE it. BUT, I never take time to read it because I want to take TIME to read it. The library wants me to stop renewing it. I won’t buy it because I’m over halfway finished with it. Oh, books…)
Anyway. It’s all bird by bird and in with the good to break up the brain stuff and I would do just about anything for a doughnut right now.
I hope your weekend is a good one. ‘ ‘ ‘text/javascript’>
Oh, I remember those horrible days of doing almost anything to not work on my dissertation, but not allowing myself to do fun things either (which is how a person ends up with a very clean bathroom). I wish I had figured out a good work/reward rhythm. Now I go to an office, but when I’m done, I feel no guilt at being a knitting slug and that woks for me. I’m no good at having work and play in the same space.
Shame you’re not closer as I have chocolate Entenmann’s donuts on the counter.
I learned about seraglio yesterday in exactly the same way you did!
Hotel New Hampshire is one of my absolute favorites!
I really like you.
I am so happy you’ve found this out. Work we do to earn a living shouldn’t have to preclude our getting to live.
For you to have found the balance is a wonderful gift to yourself and everyone benefits, including those you love and your employer.
Incidentally, that Seraglio yarn is beautiful. And Hotel New Hampshire was one of my favorite books — finish it!
I used to consider myself a terrible procrastinator and would do almost anything to get out of tackling big projects that required a lot of thinking and hard work. Like, I would sooner FILE than just get to work and I do not like filing at all.
Then I read, somewhere reputable, that when we allow ourselves to do the relaxing, procrastinating thing like filing, or spinning, or painting the cats’ toenails, that behind the scenes, our brains are processing the information for the big, hard project. So, when we do finally get to work, we’re able to do so more efficiently and probably better, too.
In my case, I noticed that to be so true. Now I let myself succumb to those urges to something else for a while, while my brain primes itself. Not bugging myself about it feels much better. And I get an alphabetized spice rack or organized under-the-sink cabinets out of the deal, too!
Also, we know nothing about yarn or knitting, but my 4-year-old over-the-shoulder reader and I agree that those are very beautiful.
I read somewhere – oh, who are we kidding – I read on the internet – source of all truisms – as I was retiring – that perfectionists tend to be procrastinators. Duh – Can’t be perfect, can’t find a way to start a project. Can’t help wondering if that information would have been helpful while I was still working. Anyway, just throwing that out there – in case it gives someone else something to chew on. And I agree, from a non-knitter, non-spinner view – gorgeous yarn. Thanks for sharing!