Writing Balance.

I currently have 4 electronic venues that I've been providing content for. 3 are blogs, two solo, one group and and email "newsletter" that I send to my department at work. Of course, I also have my twitter account to that I try to provide content for that is either advertising related or something that I think is funny. Naturally, I also have the "lame" twitter updates that detail whatever it is that I'm doing. I try to limit those because, really, does anyone care? Either way, I've been trying to find different content to fill all of the writing that I have to do and slowly, its taking a toll on me. This blog shouldn't feel like work, but because I have been thinking more about my other outlets, I've had less time to think about what in the world I should put here. I want to provide some sort of value here, but perhaps just an update on what it is I'm up to covers that? To make matters more difficult, I've also started a paper journal. The more I physically write, the less I type/blog. I'm trying to find a balance of broadcasting my life into the online world and sharing. I haven't officially decided on the difference between these two, but I do know that its a fine line and I'm trying to be cognizant of not crossing it. Lastly, I'm also trying to finish the book that I started in November during national novel writing month. I was doing really well with it, but then I got crazy busy at work and just didn't have the time to reach the 50,000 words. While I haven't actively been adding to the book, my head has been actively thinking about where to take my story. Does my head really need something else to think about right now, probably not, but it has decided to do so anyway.

As I sit here thinking about 27 different things (how can I run 7 miles before work AND still get in early to finish my work project. I need to find/read content for my newsletter and form my opinion on it. I also need to think about ideas/names for another project...) I think about a Womens Health article about how multi-tasking is bad for us (I can't find it online otherwise I would link to it). We may think multi-tasking is a good thing, but in reality it just makes us do things slower and stresses us out more. What am I trying to say with all of this? I think I need to do less.

But let's face it, I won't.

23 days ago, I listed out the following as my November goals:

1. Get started on this: http://www.nanowrimo.org/
2. Join a gym
3. Get on some sort of schedule
4. Read a few books
5. Relax

I did get started on #1 and worked at it for a few weeks, but fell behind and was on track to catch up and just fell behind again. After a long day of work I just need to relax when I get home. Creative writing isn't the most challenging, but my head still needs a rest. So, I'm officially calling it a day on novel writing in a month. But, I do intend to keep writing what I started and maybe spend some more time outlining what's going to happen and try to piece together the things I've already written. I'm just not going to stress myself out over trying to finish something that I started on a whim. I'm trying to be realistic about how much time I actually have these days.

2. I did and have been going- yeah!
3. I don't know what I was going for with getting on a schedule, I'm pretty sure it relates back to #2. I'm working on this one. I've been resetting my alarm more often that I should be, that's for sure. (ie. Not getting up and going to the gym pre-work like I want to).
4. I should finish reading my 3rd book this weekend, so this one is good to go.
5. I've been doing better about not running myself too ragged, but somehow I still ended up with a cold.

I woke up on Monday with a sore throat and a bit of a headache, by Tuesday my head was completely congested and I just felt awful so I stayed home from work. Today, I was feeling better, but still not awesome. I already had a vacation day planned, so it was nice to get to spend one more day recovering instead of rushing back to life. I'm running a 10K in the morning, so hopefully I feel good for that. I'm hoping a good night sleep will give me the strength I need to run. This cold has zapped the energy right out of me. But, I have a feeling running might make me feel better, or at least wake my body up. I'm also going to see how the 10K goes before signing up for all the races I want to do. Once I list them all it, it really seems extreme. I've also been thinking more about doing another marathon. I want to do another one, but I realize, that it isn't the only thing I want to do, so I might hold off on that for now until I find a way to balance exercise into my life without it taking over. I tend to be really sporadic with exercise, so I'm working on my consistency (hence the gym membership and attempt at a schedule). Consistency will help out tremendously during my training and all the races I want to do. But I know that I can't over extend myself and push myself too hard to these things. I want to make sure I stay healthy and injury free. I guess for the rest of this year, I'm working on balance: balancing, time for myself, work time, Adam time and friend time. Since it is the holiday season, I should include family time too.