Tag Archives: to-do lists

Motivation vs. Overwhelm (Guest Post)

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A person sits at a desk, head hidden behind a tall stack of books. The book on top is open, and the person is reaching for it.
Image by WOKANDAPIX from Pixabay

Motivation vs. Overwhelm

by Steph Beth Nickel

Are your shelves bowing under the weight of unread skills development books?

Have you subscribed to a plethora of podcasts to develop as a writer?

Do you sign up for innumerable courses you never complete?

If so…

Welcome to the club!

This book comes highly recommended. If I read that book, I’ll have the motivation to complete my WIP. If I buy this bestseller, I’ll be sure to accomplish my writing goals.

Does this sound like you?

Yes?

Again, welcome to the club!

The same holds true for the podcasts I listen to and the courses I sign up for, whether it’s writing, getting back into a regular exercise routine, taking up a new hobby, trying new recipes, or developing my spiritual life.

While a new book, podcast, or course may inspire me for a short time, I must persevere. And follow-through? Well, that’s where I fall short. And motivation becomes overwhelm.

What can we do when this is the case?

Here are eight suggestions:

  1. Gather all the books you want to read or re-read into one place.
  2. Determine which are most relevant to your current season as a writer.
  3. Set aside outdated volumes and those that aren’t currently applicable to your works-in-progress.
  4. Read a chapter, or a portion of a chapter, each day. Apply what you’ve learned immediately if possible.
  5. Repeat with each book you want to read.
  6. Approach your podcasts the same way. Determine which are of benefit. (And yes, we all need to “chill” at times. Not all our books or podcasts have to be educational per se.)
  7. Determine which courses you signed up for most recently. If they are relevant to what you are currently working on, go through the courses one at a time, setting aside time each week (or several times per week) based on available time.
  8. Admit to yourself that not every book, podcast, and course is relevant to your current season. Some may even be outdated. Take a deep breath and be willing to delete / unsubscribe / give away what is no longer relevant.

When we can apply what we’re learning, we’ll likely remain motivated to persevere.

If we hold onto too many resources, they will simply weigh us down.

What’s something that you find overwhelming rather than motivating? Are you ready to let it go?

What’s something that you’re ready to begin or get back to? A book? A podcast? A course? Something else?

Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography

As an editor, Steph Beth Nickel has the honour of coming alongside writers to help them polish their work. As the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’s memoirs, Steph has been blessed to work with this amazing woman. And as a future self-published author, with the Lord’s help, Steph has taken brave steps toward publication.

If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.

You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.

You can join her Editing Tips Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418423519384351.

Saying Goodbye to Q2 (Guest Post)

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Image of a yellow paper with a picture of a lightbulb, pinned to a corkboard.
Image by Gino Crescoli from Pixabay

Saying Goodbye to Q2

by Steph Beth Nickel

How do you feel about making to-do lists? How about schedules? Lists of goals and/or resolutions?

Personally, I’m a huge fan, but, unlike many people, I don’t mind if I don’t get everything crossed off my list. I’ve recently learned that there are those of us who like to create a list of goals—even if we don’t accomplish all of them.

That probably sounds strange—maybe even crazy—to some of you. I was, however, glad to find out I wasn’t alone in this.

And now that we’re at the end of the second quarter of 2023, it’s time for those of us who like making lists and setting quarterly goals to create our list for Q3.

Below is a high-level look at my list. Hopefully it will give you some ideas as to what to include on your own list—if you choose to create one that is.

Spiritual Goals

I have a number of goals in this area that include reading, memory work, study, and prayer—as well as connecting with other believers regularly.

Health Goals

I want to eat better, walk more, and do more resistance training than I have been. I may even use some of the subscriptions I signed up for—maybe. While I would like to lose a significant amount of weight, the most important thing is to get as healthy as I can.

Editing Goals

I want to stay caught up with my clients’ work and complete recurring tasks early in the month so I’m not frantically trying to get them done during the last week of the month.

Writing Goals

I would love to complete the first draft of the memoir I’m coauthoring and get back to writing the YA speculative fiction and study on the gospel of John that I’ve been working on sporadically.

Reading Goals

I am doing more reading, both fiction and nonfiction, and loving it. I hope to read for pleasure pretty much every day.

Hometending Goals

Since we’re planning to move in two and a half or three years, it’s time to do some serious decluttering and deep cleaning. (We’ve been in our current home for over 20 years.)

Other Responsibilities

I have other responsibilities that I want to accomplish to the best of my abilities. I also want to exercise wisdom when it comes to taking on and laying aside these and other responsibilities/opportunities.

Homegoing Goals

This is not about being morbid; it’s about being prepared. At 62, I realize it will be much easier on my family if I assemble all the info they need in a convenient location should the Lord call me home. It would also be good if I got rid of the things I no longer want to keep, things I know would just prove burdensome if left for them to deal with. And since I put the “pro” in PROcrastination, I figured I best get started on this now—even though I may still have decades of life on this planet.

How about you? Do you make quarterly goals? Do you prioritize those that are most important so you will work on them before others that are on the Would Be Nice List?

Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography

As an editor, Steph Beth Nickel has the honour of coming alongside writers to help them polish their work. As the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’s memoirs, Steph has been blessed to work with this amazing woman. And as a future self-published author, with the Lord’s help, Steph has taken brave steps toward publication.

If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.

You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.

You can join her Editing Tips Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418423519384351.