Develop Times for Solitude
Most writers are super busy, especially around the holiday season. We never seem to take the time to actually slow down and schedule some quiet time into our day. This can cause undue stress because of our lack of focus and inattention. This unfortunately is especially the case during the Christmas holidays. There is always so much we want to do with our family and friends. There are so many gifts to buy and gifts to wrap. Then there is the cooking, cleaning, and visiting. Its just endless.
Solitude is sparse in our culture even on our Christmas vacation. We try to fill every moment with activity. Solitude is the time we spend when we are disengaged from the immediate demands of other people and can be still. For most people, solitude can be frightening because we feel very uncomfortable when we are quiet and by ourselves. We are so used to noise. But we need solitude in order to write effectively.
Many of us spend many hours on computers or iPods interacting with others. Some estimate that thirty to forty percent of people’s time is spent tending to unplanned interruptions and trying to constantly refocus. Technology has taken away our ability to be alone. Because of this, we have less time to think and feel. Instead of thinking long enough to even generate a new idea for a new project or a unique plot twist, we bombard our brains with the thoughts of others. Those around us can powerfully influence our decisions, especially on our holidays.
I believe that solitude is hard to attain because we will do anything to resist it. We usually associate solitude with being lonely, isolated, and alienated. But this need not be the case because there is a huge difference between loneliness and solitude. As Paul Tillich writes, “Loneliness is the pain of being alone and solitude is the glory of being alone.” So, solitude is enjoyable while loneliness can be pain-filled.
What’s more, many of us have no idea what to do during our times of solitude. Here are a few things you can do during your times of solitude:
• Go someplace beautiful.
• Write in your journal.
• Let your thoughts wander.
• Read thoughtful books.
• Do crafts.
• Meditate.
• Commune with nature.
• Take a long walk alone.
• Watch a sunset.
• Take five deep breaths.
It may seem odd that you have to schedule your free time. However, because time goes by so fast, and the hours in a day tend to evaporate, it is important to schedule our quiet times as we would any other appointment. This time is as important, if not more so, to our well-being, health, and happiness, as are our social activities.
During quiet times, it is also important for you to become as conscious of yourself and your surroundings. This is one way to center and be in the present. This will also give you the inner peace that you crave and that you so richly deserve. So, choose activities that will help you rest and relax.
Thus, you need some solitude to regroup and be their best. So, it is very important to carve out some quiet time every day. This will also ensure that you will feel less scattered and overwhelmed so that you can get some writing done.
Balance Writing and Play
One of the best ways to compartmentalize your time in the Christmas season is to learn to balance writing and enjoying time with friends and family. This can be hard to do at first. However, if you have compartmentalized your writing life before, either because you have family obligations or are a writer or both, you already know how to juggle your many obligations. So, the holidays offer you just one more need for problem solving around writing.
Compartmentalization is a coping strategy when your minds are dealing with conflicting viewpoints simultaneously, as it does in the holidays. You must learn to wear a lot of different hats during the holidays. You will have to maintain a home and family and entertain your friends and family. Further, you will have to devote a certain amount of time each week to write in order to be most successful. For this reason, it is important to compartmentalize.
Here are a few examples of life’s compartments.
• Family life and obligations.
• Vacation outings during the holiday.
• Social outings, and spiritual and religious engagements.
• Self-care so that you don’t burn out during the holidays.
• Writing. This should never be our last compartment. But during the holidays it is sadly. This is why it is so important for writers to schedule time to write.
Some of these compartments overlap; however, try to keep your writing in a separate compartment so that you can write consistently.
Here are a few tips to write as consistently as you can:
• Compartmentalize your life into a similar scheme to the one laid out above.
• Prioritize all your compartments and schedule them during different parts of the week. For instance, you will probably work three to five days a week, have appointments one or two other evenings. Your writing should be scheduled three to five days as well.
• Ensure that your compartments are prioritized according to how important they are for your long-range goals. If you don’t prioritize, you probably won’t get any writing done. This is because its far easier to rest and do nothing every evening than write.
• Keep your compartments as balanced as possible. This is one of the hardest things to do because you must not only determine what is your most important thing during your free time, but you must then schedule the time to do it. However, you must balance you compartments to get some writing done. For instance, you don’t want your family life to bleed into your writing time.
By following these tips, you will be more energetic and productive during the holidays. But what is more, you will get some writing done every week, despite the busyness of this time of year. This will help you feel productive and build self-confidence.
It can be hard to balance your compartments during the holidays. However, it is a skill like any other that can be learned through patience, and trial and error. By turning inward and reorganizing your life into compartments every week, keeping the most important things in the foreground and moving all the ancillary things to the background, you be productive during the holidays.
All the best of the holidays and your writing!
Irene S. Roth
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