Life is good. Happiness is high. I have a great balance to my days, beginning with gardening my small backyard farm. Work is a rich mix of writing, thinking, grant proposals, and mentoring students and reading their papers. We get out in nature often. We have time for family. I make time for this. I have time to chat, to cook, to walk, time for yoga. I’m reading psychology (Kahneman), philosophy (McGinn), Orion, and more.
But something must change, for I have not found time for a big, new project, my book on slow birding. I want time for this. It will take more focus than I am now giving it. I am not sure what will change, but I know that I will lose some balance. I’ll just have to stop doing something that I love. I’m not sure how I’ll find a new level, or how long I’ll have to be there, but it is worth paying attention if day after day, something important you want to do is not getting done. (See the Polistes dominulus nest on the sign.)
The only way I keep moving on my book project is to sit for a minimum of 2 hours at the computer, three times a week (at least). Anything less, and I loose the thread and must start by reading what I’ve already written. But yes, it does mean that other things get dropped – in my case, the bread baking and the sewing. Good luck with your book!