Monday, January 9, 2012

Regaining Lost Momentum






Don't you wish you could type faster? At one point in my career, I could type 120 words per minute. After years away from daily speed typing, I'm probably at half that level. It's a classic case of, "if you don't use it, you lose it."

Computer woes forced a slowdown with blogging. I watched as my nice 4-week backlog of posts melted like a snowman in the sunshine. Thanksgiving and Christmas ate into reading time, while author interviews were put off until the New Year.

I'd love to have someone wind up a key and bring me back to pre-Thanksgiving blogging/writing levels. Like typing, I need to re-build my skills and get in the groove.

How do you regain lost momentum?



22 comments:

JD said...

I'm a list-maker, so I regain lost momentum by writing down everything I want to do, when I want it done and ticking items off one at a time upon completion. I try to be fair to myself in terms of realistic deadlines but, of course, I don't always meet them. The lists do get the ball rolling, though!

Have a great week. :-)

Loree Huebner said...

I believe the holidays zap us with an unusual stress that steals our energy. January 2nd, I slept in - 13 hours! Sometimes we just need a long rest or a break.

It will return...

jean Fischer said...

I agree with Loree. I think the holiday rush combined with work and 100 other things on the to-do list deplete any stored up energy. When I feel zapped, I recharge by watching old black and white movies from the '40s , taking naps, and . . . testing a new flavor of ice cream :-) After a restful break, I'm ready to dig in and get things done.

Blessings,
Jean

Linda O'Connell said...

Susan,
I know exactly what you mean. I am well intentioned, but then I can't keep the momentum. I also feel that recuperating is what we are doing :)

Diane said...

I just do what I can and that's all I can do. Kind of a give in to the reality of my situation attitude. If I can improve I will try, but I am always realistic in my expectations. Hugs and have a great week!!! :O)

Kathleen said...

It's just a season, like all the others: a time to reap, a time to sow, etc. You must have needed to swim in the back eddy for awhile. No doubt it'll give you the boost needed for the next keyboard strokes. Besides, nothing is fresh unless we give it a rest.

Blessings,
Kathleen

Wendy Paine Miller said...

I've been here. I follow Nike's mantra and Just Do It...sit at my computer and write and I'm usually thrilled to fall back in love with my characters.
~ Wendy

Kristen said...

I'm with Janette. I make a list. Things I don't get done, i move to the next day.

It's so frustrating to lose momentum. I'm also dealing with that in my novel writing, but I'm gaining it back. I've started a new project, so that always gets the excitement going again.

Praying you'll regain the momentum quickly!!

Karen Lange said...

I don't always excel at regaining my momentum, like for instance, building up a store of pre-written posts! I just try to keep going and be slow and steady about it. Already have stressed too much about it and it's not worth losing sleep over. As you know, I am a work in progress!
Blessings,
Karen

Melanie N. Brasher said...

Susan,

I usually like to start afresh at the beginning of a new week so that I get into a groove. And like Janette, I'm definitely a list maker. :)

Happy New Year! It's great to be back here. :)

Melanie

Chatty Crone said...

I think I am losing momentum with age - and I think for me it is great - I slow down and think about things a lot more. Lol.
sandie

Nancy said...

I love to try to type fast but my computer doesn't keep up with me. It gets a "catch" on words sometimes. I wasn't a great typist, but I learned the keyboard. Now I suppose everyone knows it.

When I get backlogged, I just get rid of anything I don't truly have to do, divide the tasks that have piled up into days and work away at them. I hate it when that happens. You have my complete sympathies as you recover.

Cindy R. Wilson said...

This post really resonates with me because I've lost momentum with blogging and exercising and pretty everything I used to do regularly. (I guess part of that has to do with having a newborn in the house for several of those months.) But now I'm motivated to get going again and I think what will help me is simply jumping in - even if it makes me tired, or a tad overwhelmed in the beginning, I'll just adjust and reap the benefits of having some kind of routine again :)

DenaNetherton said...

I had to give myself a little stern talking-to at the end of December. I said, "Dena, you're a writer, and writers write. So get-a-going on the writing and no more excuses, ya hear?"

Sarah Forgrave said...

I totally understand, Susan! When I scheduled my blogging break over Christmas, I thought I'd use the time to get ahead on posts for the new year. But did I? Nope! :) I finally feel like I'm getting back in the groove again, but it's taking a while. :)

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Everyone -

Please forgive me if I don't answer each one of you individually. I had one of those "life happens" days and am totally drained.

I've managed to set up an interview, a guest post, a book recommendation, and write a few posts. Panic mode occurs if I have to think of something the night before.

Thanks for all your great suggestions and encouragement. Lists remove the stress of trying to remember what I must do, while getting more sleep gives me the strength I need.

Getting back into my normal routine feels great (if there's such a thing as normal).

Blessings,
Susan :)

Rhonda Schrock said...

I've decided it's okay to have 'low momentum' sometimes. It'll come back (it will!), and maybe you'll be all the better for having had the break.

I understand, friend.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Susan .. life comes at us - and we need to stop occasionally - or just crash, burn and come to recovered - you're doing that.

Typing .. I know I don't - because I think as I type - and copy typing isn't that .. I had great difficulty as a typist - I was always stopping and correcting things .. I still stop if I make a mistake.

Momentum and Spring are on their way .. cheers - Hilary

Kathi Oram Peterson said...

Oh my stars! Four weeks of blog posts gone! Bless your heart for your good attitude. You inspire me.

My typing speed was close to 90 at one time, but not now. Every once in a while I enjoy just cutting lose and typing like crazy, but that doesn't happen very often, especially while I'm editing.

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Rhonda - This was the longest break I've had since I started blogging. Since I'm a prevention type of gal rather than crisis management, it unnerved me.

Hi Hilary - Good to see you! I did need the rest. The danger comes from getting too comfortable with a slower routine. :)

Hi Kathi - I'm thankful I had that 1-month buffer or my blog would have been down that whole time.

It's so funny because to my mind I'm typing much slower, but other people comment on how fast I type.

Blessings,
Susan :)

Terri Tiffany said...

I have lost mine so you tell me:) I am so out of it and don't feel like I care anymore:((

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Terri -

Aww, I understand completely.

You've had some major life changes over the past few months. Give yourself permission to recuperate and get some rest.

I've started by writing blog posts. Thanks to some dear friends, a guest blog and a 2-part interview filled some of my slots. It eased the pressure considerably.

Journaling has also helped me, as well as prayer.

Hey, if I can help in any way, you have my email address.

Big Cyber Hug,
Susan