Creative Work: Deep Diving in a Pandemic
Unchartered Waters
One reason it's a challenge to write about this moment in time is the vast array of our experiences. Some are battling boredom and an over the top solitude. Others can't score a second to ourselves.
I can only tell you how it looks here in my own heart and mind.
My schedule for March was already cleared for writing a large-ish project. In many ways, our current situation seems conducive to writing. So many commutes to and from appointments eliminated as they went virtual. But other things, less conducive. Many women I talk to have never been so tired. Personally I'm fighting the urge for a nap at 5 pm every day (which is too late, btw).
So what's helping?
Do Deep Work in Shorter Chunks
I wrote this latest thing in small segments. Three handwritten pages a day. No showing off, no heroics, no burning out. Occasionally a day or two off but mostly I fought my resistance by showing up every day and feeling how good it felt when I finished. Like quiet on the inside. Hallelujah.
Give Yourself a Good Soundtrack
I needed a specific soundtrack to help my mind switch into the world my story inhabits. It makes me realize how much I rely on music--melodies and beats to act as a key. The tumblers of my mind fall into a certain configuration and I'm able to open the door to my thoughts. This is often true but feels more exaggerated in both my need and its impact right now.
And then there are the feelings.
This current project, a collaboration, seemed nicely distanced from my Here and Now. But as I got into it I realized how present it is and how keenly I feel it all. Maybe this is about empathy or truth. I suspect it's largely about how these times make our skins thin and we feel everything as though the volume knob is turned up in our insides. Now I'm typing up a binder of handwritten pages and Feeling It All Again was not feeling great. It's just typing and formatting now. I don't need to be all in to this part and in fact, it's useful to skate across its surface and see it from a small distance. So I started a light TV show on the side. And it helps. It generally is not like me to infuse my deep diving with distraction but I'm mentioning it in case it's useful for the feelings overload of this moment.
Going slowly and tenderly but steadfastly along. Sending love.