I don't appreciate breaks enough. My mom used to say I hated taking naps. And it's true. I feel like I miss out somehow.
Funnily enough, the people I know who sleep a lot also enjoy naps. Napping is chic. With all the screens, rest for the eyes is water. And we thirst.
I didn't take a nap today. To celebrate, I barely have a blog post written. When the subject material makes it difficult to relate and invest emotionally, I part ways with the prompt.
The problem I find in my holiday celebrations involves the act of blogging. I don't have standard process for writing. Many times, I stop to transcribe the inner voice, which I censor repeatedly. I am unlearning this revision of the personal monologue, in an effort to produce first drafts more easily. I am beginning to understand the wisdom of love for the rewrite.
It's true, even in this piece of writing, my point has moved along from a dislike of naps to my love for reading my own thoughts.
The point I wanted to go over while I have your attention is: process.
If I thought about it, I start like everyone else. We take the first step. When it comes to writing lately, that involves sitting at my desk, typing into an app, rereading it to myself rather than out loud, begging someone else to read it and respond, then posting it with a photograph I took.
These steps happen with consistency. Each step varies on a given day, but I wrestle with the first sentence every time. I set up headings in Obsidian. Sometimes I deign to hear myself speak and read some phrases aloud.
When there's an outline, I feel more hemmed in than I like. Gathering information to fill out the brief prompts helps stay organized, but doesn't make writing enjoyable.
Outlines feel like naps. I know they're good for me. They'd help me get some rest from work. And, they can be quick, not so long I feel drained afterwards. I don't know whether I will write more outlines for my blog posts, take more naps for the eye strain and late nights.
I am confident if I fall in love with the process somehow, I can go on forever.
Round 2
Embracing the Unseen Benefits of Breaks: A Reflection on Creativity and Process
As someone who rarely appreciated breaks, I find myself questioning the nuances of downtime. My mother often noted my aversion to naps, pointing out that it seemed I feared missing out on something. I feel the same way today. I try to squeeze as much as I can in a day. It's funny, really, because those I know who relish their naps seem to find them chic. With the digital age bombarding us with constant stimulation, resting our eyes is a glass of water in the desert.
Today, I skipped the nap. Like it, this blog post barely materialized. My struggle mirrors a broader issue in my holiday-themed blogging practice. I lack a standardized process for writing, which often leads me to abandon the prompt when I can't connect with the material.
I realize that part of the problem stems from how I manage my writing. I often find myself stopping mid-sentence to re-evaluate. I censor what I've written before my thoughts can fully form. The rewriting process, where I can refine these initial thoughts into clearer expressions, feels more valuable then before.
In fact, my journey from disliking naps to understanding their value parallels my writing process. I'm learning to appreciate the preliminary steps—whether it's a quick nap to rejuvenate the mind or drafting an outline that guides my writing.
Let's take a typical start to my writing process: I sit at my desk, open my writing app, and begin typing. I'll often read the draft to myself silently, occasionally asking for feedback, before I dare to publish it accompanied by a photograph I've chosen. Each step varies daily, yet the struggle with the first sentence remains constant.
Despite the challenges, I’ve set up a consistent routine: I draft headings in Obsidian, read some phrases aloud, and gather information to fill out an outline. This structure, much like a well-timed nap, provides a framework that, while initially restrictive, ultimately supports and enhances productivity.
The beauty of outlining and structured writing, I've come to realize, is akin to the benefits of napping. Both provide a necessary pause, a moment to collect one’s thoughts and energies before continuing the task at hand. They're brief, they're rejuvenating, and they don’t drain—instead, they prepare us for what comes next.
As I navigate the complexities of creating content, I am increasingly convinced that if I can fall in love with the process—be it napping or writing outlines—I can sustain my creativity indefinitely.
Whether it's embracing the quick respite of a nap or structuring a blog post, the underlying processes are crucial for success. They allow us not just to manage our tasks but to excel in them, turning routine actions into sources of strength and inspiration. Maybe I should sleep on that.