How do I do two things at once? I love writing and I love creating art. I have a bucket list of goals in both activities waiting to be accomplished. At first I found it frustrating. If I spent a lot of time painting, I felt guilty that I hadn't worked on that article or book for a long time, and vice versa. So how can I place a priority on one over the other? I couldn't choose which was the most important, therefore settling the question of which to spend the most time there. I couldn't choose which earned the most money as a way of choosing to spend more time on that activity. Sometimes art earned the most income and other times, writing pulled ahead.
But I'm technically retired. I'm doing these because I enjoy doing them. In fact, I put off art until after I retired. This was always what I planned to do in my so-called leisure time.
Finally I decided to try dividing each day into two sections. Morning and afternoon became the obvious choice. I decided on art in the morning because the light conditions were the best then and so, writing would become my afternoon endeavor. There are days when my plans don't work. Sometimes, I have to spend all day on one activity whether I want to or not because I'm working on a deadline. Other times, in spite of happily living a reclusive life, I actually do go out and have coffee with a friend or child, go shopping, visit my doctor or other health professional. But having the plan makes all the difference. I allow myself time off because, after all, I am retired and should be spending time outside enjoying the sunshine and the people around me. I also enjoy writing and painting.
I've discovered that I perform better at both if I spend time doing both each day. Once I've done a bit of painting, my brain is relaxed and happy, better able to think of the phrases I need for writing in the afternoon. I've learned that I NEED to do both, not necessarily as a choice. Writing is like the dessert after a meal of art, or maybe art is the dessert I have before a writing meal. Both are relaxing and very much enjoyed. Both deserve attention and both return the benefits.
