Random Acts of Wisdom
Sometimes it costs more to do nothing than to do something.
{in an email from Customer Service Guru Jeff Mowatt.
Read more at his website www.jeffmowatt.com}
Read more at his website www.jeffmowatt.com}
Wednesday was the first snow day of the season. The way it was coming down on Tuesday, I knew it would be a snow day so I made sure to bring over as much of my studio as I could possibly use in one day {that is the one room in the old house that hasn't been cleaned out yet...I don't trust anyone but myself to screw that up}. You would think that a day locked inside a cozy house with hot coffee and cocoa, festive Christmas music and warm slippers would be ideal to create in. But I fretted the day away because I could not find one little padded mailer containing two tiny sterling silver charms destined for a custom piece that I have to start creating like now, dammit. Did I do any creating? No. Not one bit. I was so wrapped up in the fact that I couldn't find this bitty baggie that I couldn't move on to anything else. And I couldn't get to sleep that night either {that or the wind howling outside at 3am might have something to do with it.} The only thing I did manage to do was to find the box and unpack the junk drawer contents from my old house to my new.
What did this big bunch of nothing cost me? Precious time in my quest to get it all done.
Today I have a new focus...I have re0rdered said charms {I consider it a slight cost to losing my sanity searching for said charms...oh, they will show up, when I least expect it...and by then I will have no real need for a sterling silver pair of socks and tennis ball charms. Go figure.}...I have let myself move on to other projects {like the 16 charm necklaces that were due by lunch today}... and I have pledged to use up what I have in stock {let me tell you...it is a LOT!}.
And I have realized that doing nothing did indeed cost me more than doing something. Anything at all.
Have you ever been in a situation when you just had to "do something"? Maybe you procrastinated, or forgot what it was you had to do, or you were so restless that you couldn't wait to jump out of your chair and start the doing?
Or...Have you ever been in a situation when doing nothing was a bad choice?
Do tell!
Enjoy the day!
9 comments:
Oh my dear Erin, That land you just visited is where I live always. I live in C.H.A.O.S. (can't have anyone over syndrome) I am always searching for something and not finding it. I used to say I lived too close to the edge of a Black-hole where everything gets sucked in and vanishes. I feel for you, I really do. because of this, I'm not very productive. Sometimes, the search is just overwhelming and I get paralyzed by it all.
Emanda
It's called procrastinating when there is way too much to do. I work part-time for a local factory (I AM the accounting dept) and own my own bead shop here in WI....so needless to say I have way more on my plate than I need! Example: we are offering free demos every Saturday and for tomorrow I don't have my instructions done yet. We are also having a Native American friend come in to drum tomorrow and smudge the shop...so for thanking him I've been stitching an amulet bag (about 25-30 hours into this beautiful bag) but now I'm trying to figure out how to seam it together and I need to give it to Mike TOMORROW! Also, I have 4 custom pieces that are due next week to customers and 2 additional gifts to give. Finally got out the reminder email newsletter for the demos last night....let see...what else? I know there's more! LOL. It will get done, but I know that I've procrastinated some and this makes it all worse--but, in the mean time I have been teaching myself some wirework as a way to avoid all the other work. So I've done some of nothing, some of procrastinating and then it all hits the fan! Probably more than what you wanted to know...but it's a combo of all of what you were asking about. :-)
At least I can laugh about it while I'm doing all of the stuff I need to do, don't want to do and the stuff I want to do.
Bead Happy!
Michelle
I guess every time I get on the computer and start blogging it is a bit of a procrastination. I just get so involved and read so many interesting things that I forget that life is moving on and I am standing still. In that light, time to take a break from the computer and get a few things done... ;)
Thanks for the words of wisdom :)
Marie
I just spent ALL MORNING hunting for a design I had put in the wrong client's file. I SO understand how easy it is to pause and how very hard it is to re-start. Like, for example, now that I have found the design, why and reading your lovely blog, instead of STARTING? Starting and finishing are the hardest parts of any project.
Erin -happens to me all the time - i have a creative day job as well as the after hours jewelery stuff, and the day job has time and fee pressures, but sometimes you just want to ponder things for a while - not always possible, and then you have deadlines coming at you like a whirlwind!! Happy weekend, Vicki
Erin, I hate having frustrating days like that. But it's those days that help to eventually get us organized. It's not an overnight thing, but the waste of time and the frustration of it all is so despicable that we change if only little by little. Good luck with your imminent projects ... you've paid your dues for now!
I sometimes think our world runs so fast now that you don't have time to ever really think and plan. Too much interference - spending too much time on the computer when I should be doing other worthwhile tasks. Yes, I'd rather be blogging than cleaning!
As for misplaced things - I tucked away a Xmas gift and can't remember where - 14 days to find it!
Erin, perhaps you can do a swap with someone when you finally find the original charms!
sandi
Erin, oh how I could relate to this post!!! I had to smile - but in a sympathetic way because your experience sounds a lot like me at times...getting stuck on something and it overshadows the whole day (looking for the missing charms instead of enjoying the cocoa!). I hope you're now well underway in getting those custom pieces finished.
Your blog banner is sooo gorgeous, I've been meaning to tell you! I just love that necklace!
I know exactly how you feel. It's frustrating and you feel like you're losing your mind you're so worked up. I love how you worked it all out and ordered more charms. Yes they will turn up.
Happy Holidays!
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