I blame second grade.

That’s where SPA started to drill study skills into us in homeroom. First, you worked together on your group, with spelling, reading, math, and writing alternating throughout the days of the week. Then, you had a few minutes at school to do the individual work from that group class. THEN, if you had time left over before you went to the specialized classes or lunch or recess or whatever, you had time for the coveted “free reading.”

I learned to rush through my work so I had time to read, and it took awhile to get out of that mindset, or at least to double check at the end. I still to this day knock out a lot of things in one draft (like blog posts).

But that theory of “you can do XYZ Fun Thing when your work is done” remains with me to this day, and with an extensive to-do list, I rarely get to the free time component. And even if I do, I feel guilty about the work I *should* be getting at least a head start on. My professional coach advises me that if I cut myself a break and do some of the fun things, I’ll actually be MORE refreshed and have MORE space for the work, and i inherently believe her, but I still have a hard time doing it. It’s a ridiculously hard habit to build.

(FWIW, I do still ready every night before bed though).

What do you do to get fun into your everyday life? Or do you suffer with this as much as I do?

(and then Patrick sends me this post: https://everythingchanges.us/blog/energy-makes-time/)